Territory
by Team Alpha Wolf Squadron
Summary: After an attack werewolves are demoted to the rights of a house elf. Forced to work Remus was lucky to find a family as nice as the Potters. When Sirius comes to stay with them after he runs away Remus has a hard time adjusting to the new addition to family. ABANDONED. There's a reupload with more content if you search Territory rewrite or go on to my page.
1. Chapter 1

Remus was six. He was six and enjoying the fact that his dad was home from work early. There had been something wrong with his job lately which meant that Remus hadn't seen him for more than an hour before it was time for bed. But now his dad was back a whole three hours early and had a big announcement for both him and his mother. They were going on holiday!

His dad had hurried in and told his mum first and she didn't seem all that happy with the idea. But then Remus shouldn't have been listening in so he hurried back to his room in high spirits. Dad came up the stairs once he had finished talking to mum and packed all of Remus' clothes and special toys, telling him about all the exciting things they were going to do.

By night time Remus was bundled up in his coat whilst his mum argued about their holiday with his dad. Remus didn't see why his mum was objecting so much. Dad had been promising for ages to take them on holiday and now he finally was. She eventually calmed down enough to get in the car and soon they were on the road.

The car was making its funny sounds again as they wound across the country roads to the village. Mum had stopped talking all together when they saw the first house up ahead whilst Dad was muttering to himself and glancing at the sky every few minutes. Remus tried to see what was angering his dad so much but every time he glanced out the window he could only see the night sky with its twinkling stars and the moon that always caught his eye when he was allowed up late. He couldn't see anything that should have angered his dad, especially since they were going on holiday.

The car hit over a bump in the village and Remus giggled as a swooping sensation assaulted his tummy. He always liked going over bumps and down hills because of that tingly feeling. His giggles were cut sharply off when his dad screeched the car to a stop. Remus held his hurt chest from the sudden stop.

His dad poked his head out of the car window and Remus looked out too. His mum had started to sob in the front seat which made him confused, they had only hit a bump after all. His dad sped the car up again.

It did another sudden stop and his dad tried to reverse but stopped again. His mum was almost screaming now and Remus started to panic from the mix of emotions in the car.

His dad said a bad word as he got out the car and shouted at his mum to do the same. Remus was fumbling with his seatbelt when his dad tore it off for him and pulled Remus into his arms. Naturally he struggled since he was six and had been able to walk for years now but an abrupt reprimand shouted at him made him stop.

Mum was clinging onto Dads elbow as they briskly walked over to the shop on the corner. There was a rustling from some bins and a cat screeched out causing his mum and dad to sprint over to the shop. Remus felt delight wash over him as his mum took out her wand and opened the door but it was soon quashed when the gray kitty that had spooked his parents was killed. All he heard was a hissing yowl as the cat arched his back before something big and black bounded over and with one shake in its Jurassic teeth shook the cats neck broken and sent a limb flying.

Remus was vaguely aware he was screaming and hitting his dad to get away. The monster had heard him and lifted itself onto its trunk thick legs to let out an ear piercing howl. His parents were inside the shop and locking the door with magic when the howl was answered. Responding moans joined the first from all around the village becoming one loud tune in the night.

His dad shook him harshly and shouted at him so he quietened his screams to sobs much like his mothers. His dad turned to soothe her "We just need to outlast the moon. That's all darling."

He set Remus on the counter as something large slammed into the door. The glass shattered from the impact and rained all over the shops floor. Remus was grabbed again and shoved into a small cupboard in the back while his mum and dad turned the house upside down for something.

It was dark and he couldn't see anything. His hiccups drowned out most of what his parents said to one another. Growls and howls sounded in the shop front and Remus felt himself gagging from fright.

Bangs and shouts of foreign but familiar words were sounding just as something snuffled under the door he was behind. His voice left and his limbs seized as the nose journeyed up the door and stopped where Remus' face was. The monster crashed into the door just as his father shouted at it. The wood was splintered from where it had charged and Remus' limbs went into overdrive. He opened the door hoping to take shelter next to his dad.

Remus ran for the kitchen at the back of the shop where light bounced off roaring monsters. His dads face was set in concentration as his arm flung around wildly but paused when Remus ran in the room. This was all they needed. A pause in the attack meant that, just like the cat, his dad was tossed lifelessly around in the monsters blood coated jaws.

Remus screamed as blood pelted itself onto him from his fathers missing meat that was being shared around the group in the kitchen. He found his legs again when he realised the barrier between them and him was gone. He had meant to run to his mother but was sidetracked as a monster prevented his path. He turned to the stairs instead and just made it up under the hulk that bared down on him.

An open doorway into someone's bedroom provided the cover he needed. He dived in but came up short when teeth clamped around his leg. Pain erupted and he tried to scramble away making the teeth clench harder and his skin rip more. There was a table that he tried to use for leverage but all he managed to do was knock a jewellery box onto the floor. As a last resort he chucked the box at the monsters snout. The box exploded and spilled its contents onto its jaws.

Miraculously that worked. The monster hissed in pain and let go of his leg but instead of relief he expected to feel at the loss of teeth another pain took its place. This one felt like a thousand jaws were twisting his bones any way possible until they snapped. His hand slipped in a puddle of sick that was steadily streaming from his broken jaw. A broken shoulder was the limit of his pain threshold since he passed out after that.

He woke up in agony. His leg was heavily bandaged along with various other parts of his body. Whining and trying not to cry he sat up and came face to face with twelve other children in a similar condition to himself. They were in a heavily padded room with no adults of windows to tell them where he was. The eldest that was there was thirteen and when Remus really looked at the other children he realised he knew them. These were the children he played with in the village.

Over the next couple of months Remus learnt a lot of things. The creatures that attacked the village were called werewolves much like the ones his dad used to monitor at work. It seemed that as Remus and the others had been bitten they were now werewolves themselves which made some of the older children start crying. Remus learnt that the attack was because a ministry member, which was where they were, had angered a rogue werewolf who had taken his revenge by slaughtering and turning the village that said ministry member lived in. Most of the people in the village were dead the workers told them but they didn't tell them what happened to the adults that were turned just like them. He learnt later from the thirteen year old that only the ones under age were being kept alive for rehabilitation. The others were executed.

The rehabilitation programme came into work the night the attack happened. It seemed the ministry didn't want to take another chance of a slaughter happening again so only the under age ones were allowed to live. The rest of the werewolf population had been given the right to be shot or killed on sight. The cells they were staying in were the ones previous adult werewolves had been in the night of the full moon. The cautious ones that didn't want any trouble and now were facing a silver bullet to the head.

The programme for them was meant to make them more productive members of society and thus reduced their rights to that of house elves. They were to be given work and house from a pure-blood family who would take care of them. But in return they had to know their place. They were as of the slaughter no more than animals up for adoption.

Five months was all it took before the ministry decided they didn't want to keep the children anymore and allowed the pure-bloods to view and choose from the group they had made. The younger ones, such as the four year old girl who Remus had pushed in the mud once, were the first to go. The pure-bloods said they could work on breaking them in if they had little brains from their previous life. Quite frankly Remus was appalled at the pure-bloods.

There were no nice ones that he had seen since the McKinnons. They had came in and adopted the thirteen year old with promises of new clothes at their house. Whilst the others that had came in had assessed them like pieces of meat and took what little they had before giving them rags to change into in front of the ministry worker.

Week after week his group dispatched into new homes. The Blacks had taken a small boy of eight whilst the Goyles had taken the girl that the nine year old in the group had sworn to marry eight months ago. The Malfoys, Gamp, Nott and Yaxleys all came and took their new pets until it was his turn.

His family came in the door with bright smiles on their faces. They were a couple in their late thirties who had taken to Remus immediately. The paperwork had been drawn up and sorted in hours and soon Remus was theirs to take home.

They didn't make him put on rags straight away and instead fussed about how many scratches he had on his body. One floo ride later and Remus was introduced to the Potter house. It was a large manor situated on the outskirts of a village. They showed him the cellar first which was where Remus would be changing on the full moons. Then they led him on a little tour around the house where they showed him his room. It was much like the other bedrooms to which Remus was surprised. He was told that he was to be their servant not their guest.

"Is he here yet?" Someone yelled climbing up the stairs in speed. A small boy roughly his age was panting in front of him. He held out his hand and grinned largely "James Potter nice to meet you." Remus was confused, he was meant to serve them not make friends. "Doesn't he speak?" He asked his parents.

"I'm sure he does James but he's probably a little nervous," The mother explained ruffling her sons hair.

"Merlin knows what the ministry has droned into him," Mr Potter groaned "Just give him some time I'm sure he'll talk to you eventually. Won't you?" Remus nodded when the question was directed at him. The ministry said to answer any question his family had without delay.

"Oh, well I guess you can keep quiet for now then," James allowed and dragged Remus inside the room the Potters had given him.

_10 Years later_

James was due back for summer. He had just finished his fifth year at Hogwarts and Remus couldn't wait for all the sordid tales he had to tell.

Making sure that James' bed was made and the meat cooking properly he sat himself at the kitchen table and waited for the Potters to come back from the train station. At Christmas James had been full of stories about how he and his two friends had created a map that showed where people were at any time in the castle. Studying the books about the castle and magic in the Potters library Remus couldn't help feeling proud that James had managed such a large feat of magic.

The door banged open signalling James' dramatic entrance home "Remus!" He bellowed to which Remus got up and dutifully went to meet James. The boy had grown again and his hair was longer and hanging low over his eyes. No doubt a trip to the barbers was in order so Remus mentally catalogued it away. "There you are," James embraced him stepping aside so his parents could come in the door "I have so much to tell you! Oh where to start."

"It's going to have to wait or be moved to the kitchen," Remus remarked hinting at the tea that was nearly ready. James pouted but dragged Remus over to the kitchen anyway. He moved to make the gravy as James started filling him in on his adventures.

"...And then Lily hexed me!" He exclaimed "All because that stupid snake got what was coming to him."

"You have to see it from her point of view," Remus told him "All she saw was you attacking Snape for no reason. She wasn't to know that he had been harassing you and Sirius for the better half of two months."

"True," James sighed twiddling his wand in his hand "At least now she knows just how bad he is now. I hate that it happened that way but it was time she learnt the truth." Remus knew that James didn't care at all about blood status and was a strong believer in equal rights. It was part of the reason Remus had been adopted, they had wanted to show that Remus wasn't something to be degraded. Snape calling Lily a Mudblood would have went against everything that he believed and struck a strong cord in James' heart. No doubt he lamented for hours after that trying to think of ways to cheer Lily up.

"Did you two end up together then?" He asked as was the ritual. Ever since third year when he came home declaring his love Remus had asked how things had progressed in their relationship.

"Not yet," he paused "But we will," He affirmed strongly.

Tea went past in ease. The Potters were happy to have their family home again and enjoyed hearing about all of James' exploits almost as much as Remus. Although they did lecture James about all the detentions he got they were proud underneath it all at the level of skill he was showing.

It was late when they all ran out of things to tell each other so James went up to bed whilst Remus cleaned up after the Potters. He stretched and made sure that James was safely tucked up in bed before retiring himself. The boy was talking to his two way mirror and smiled at Remus as he closed the door. Remus was more than happy that James was back, the months without him were just lonely. Mr and Mrs Potter made sure that he was sufficiently entertained and treated him much the same as James but there would always be that thing that made him smaller than them. That made him want to help out with the housework even if Mrs Potter told him off. That thing was the fact that he would always be a werewolf and he would always be dirt at the bottom of most wizards boots.

He was helping James practice for Quidditch on their third week of the holidays when a knock sounded at the door. Remus abandoned James in favour of answering the door. He was lucky he had such good hearing otherwise the door would have remained unopened for the majority of the day.

"Does James live here?" A black haired boy asked.

"Er, yeah. Two minutes," he told him and went into the garden to shout James down. The boy was confused and intrigued at his unexpected visitor and dismounted quickly from his broom. Remus followed him back to the door where the boy was still standing and was treated to James yelping and hugging the boy. He pulled him inside and motioned for Remus to get him something to drink whilst James hauled his trunk in too.

"I can't believe it!" He heard James say "They disowned you, just like that?"

"Well, not just like that," the boy answered. He had a low voice that was smooth in the middle and gravelly in places. It was nothing compared to the squeaky mess James' still made. "They wanted me to put my lot in with Snape and Malfoy. There was a rant about family pride and how I was a muggle loving disgrace and I shouted back," He rushed "Before I gave up and told them I was moving out. Naturally mother played the inheritance card but I just couldn't care anymore, she can keep the money. Reg can have it all, I just..." He sighed.

Remus brought an array of drinks inside the living room. Sirius hadn't told him what he wanted so he got a choice of five that they had in the house.

"I can't believe it," James ruffled his hair. Remus slapped it away, he was just making it tangle up again. They really needed to go to the barbers. "Naturally you can stay here," he announced "Mum and Dad will be happy to have you."

"James-"

"I'm serious Sirius. Shut up!" He said at the laughing "You can stay here. It's only another month until school starts and you know money isn't a problem for us." James seemed to have settled on the matter "So now we're just going to have to sort the rooms out. We'll wait until Mum and Dad come home though."

James invited Sirius to help him with his Quidditch leaving Remus to sort out the drinks that Sirius hadn't even touched. Sirius had his own broom which he had shrunk down and enlarged in front of Remus' eyes. He pointed out that they would get in trouble for under-age magic which Sirius scoffed at before joining James in the sky.

Remus reclined on the grass and watched them fly in the sky. It was nice to finally meet one of James' infamous friends from school. Sirius seemed like he really valued James' friendship which made him alright in Remus' books. There was an air of haughtiness that James didn't have though and it showed in the way he was flying. James was careful since he too sensed the hesitance Sirius flew with. The events that led him to the Potters must have affected him more than he told them. And why shouldn't it. He just told them his parents had willingly let him go. Remus didn't remember his parents much but he knew the they hadn't abandoned him, the Potters hadn't either.

He vaguely remembered the Blacks and was able to put a blurry face to the name. He thinks that Sirius looked a lot like his father. He had the same hair and how he held himself as he walked or moved was also similar. He remembers that the Blacks weren't very nice people, they had taken the small boy two years older than Remus and had struck him when the boy asked what he was to do with his old clothes. Sirius didn't seem all that much like his family but Remus couldn't be sure. There had never been a formal introduction between them yet.

Mr and Mrs Potter were more than happy to have Sirius live with them. Apparently they had been writing to him just as much as James and always said hello and goodbye at the train station with him. Mrs Potter set about the tea that night as Mr Potter brought all three of them upstairs to sort out the living arrangements.

"Now then," He started looking at the doors "Three boys and two bedrooms. How do you want to work this James?"

"I'm more than happy to move out," Remus offered knowing it was his place to do so. "The cellar has more than enough room for me."

"What? No, Rem," James protested "You're not sleeping in the cellar. Dad tell him," He urged.

"You're not sleeping in the cellar Remus," Mr Potter repeated with amusement at his son. "But there may be some moving around. One of you will have to share," He warned and told them to come get him once they had sorted the situation out.

"I'm more than happy to-" Remus tried.

"No Rem!" James snapped before sighing and apologising. He turned to Sirius "It'll be like sharing a dorm," He offered.

Sirius shrugged "It's your house."

"Well alright then," James decided and went to go get his dad.

Mr Potter came up "At least take my bed," He told him and moved aside so Mr Potter could move Remus' bed out of his room. "There's the things in the cellar I can move up into my room," He thought of the camp bed that they had set up for after the moon. It wasn't particularly comfortable. But then he only slept in it when he was bleeding profoundly.

Mr Potter sighed but did as Remus bid despite James' protests again. Mr Potter knew better than James that Remus wasn't going to relent until Sirius was at least more comfortable than him.

He moved the camp bed up himself whilst the other three settled Sirius in James' room. There was a scuffle and a few bangs as Remus hauled the pillows and quilt up to join the camp bed in his slightly larger room.

He went down and made sure that everything was in order. Helping Mrs Potter with the washing up and collecting James' books that he had left that morning. Knocking before he entered this time Remus placed the books carefully in James' bookshelf before bidding them goodnight and going to bed.

It was hard to sleep with someone else in the house. He felt territorial over little things such as his missing pillow that he had willingly given up. He felt more territorial about James though. This was Remus' time with him, not Sirius', but now that he was here Remus would be pushed aside. What else would be expected.

A couple of bangs and loud sniggers sounded from the room next to his as Remus curled up on the hard mattress and tried to get to sleep.

He had taken the liberty of going into the village early that day and making an appointment for James to finally get his hair cut. He knew it would take some coercion so he went to the sweet shop and bought some of his favourite muggle sweets, hoping to bribe him into going. He wondered if he should have made one for Sirius too. His hair was getting quite long and was almost past the point where it would be deemed fashionable. Turning back he made another appointment before continuing back home.

James and Sirius were pouring over their school work. Or that was what Remus assumed they were doing. It was odd to see James with a school book to begin with so Remus didn't have high hopes.

"I made an appointment at the hairdressers," He announced casually.

"Getting some off the top Rem?" James was in denial, it was almost sad.

"Actually I made it for you and Sirius. Your hairs awful James. There's no way Lily's going to want you if you go back with hair like that," He commented sending Sirius' eyes wide before bursting into laughter.

James hit him gently "He made one for you too idiot," James snapped fingering his hair and moving to the mirror to see how bad his hair actually was not what he thought it to be.

"What? I'm not getting my hair cut!" Sirius announced.

"But it looks stupid," Remus pointed out which sent James into snickers.

Sirius just grabbed his hair defensively "What would you know about it?" He sneered.

"He's using it as a sign of rebellion against his parents," James informed Remus "They want him to have nice soft locks that are pure-blood short so Sirius' is growing his out."

Remus didn't understand teenage rebellion at all "But if you're not living with them anymore what's the point?"

"Seriously James who is he?" Sirius asked instead. It seemed that this wasn't the first time he had asked that question since he got here.

"He's Remus," Trust James not to put any labels on him.

"I'm their werewolf," Remus informed him. Sirius' eyes widened this time from shock before they roved over Remus' figure. "Don't worry I don't bite. Though I suppose you know all about that since your family has one of their own."

"We got rid of it after two years," Sirius mumbled still looking Remus over. Remus was in shock. That little boy hadn't lasted two years with his family? What did they do to him?

James broke the tense silence "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get a hair cut. Maybe you should get one too Sirius, yours is looking kind of stupid," Remus stalked off in the middle of James' sentence thinking about the last time he had seen that boy. He wondered who else was removed from their families by now.

He went back to them an hour before their appointment so they could all walk together. He didn't trust James to mysteriously forget about his hair trimming and always had to accompany him whenever he needed one. Sirius didn't try and talk to Remus for which he was happy about. He didn't forgive the boy for what happened to that boy. Even if it was probably his parents fault and not his.

When they got there Remus forced the pair to sit down whilst he checked in their appointments. He noticed Sirius staring around the shop in wonder and cast a quizzical look at James. James just rolled his eyes and mouthed 'pure-blood' at him like he wasn't one himself. The Potters lived in a mix of muggle and wizarding village which meant that James was somewhat accustomed to muggle appliances. Remus couldn't say he was any better since he too had spent most of his life living almost like a pure-blood. But Mr Potter did take him to London now and then to check in with the ministry or just for days out so he saw more than James did at his wizard school.

He handed James one of the sweets he bought earlier and watched as his face lit up. Promising James the whole bag if he sat still and let the scissors did their work Remus felt satisfied that his trip to the barbers wouldn't be wasted. James was only too easy to manipulate.

"You should try these Sirius," James commented plucking another from the bag and trying to take them from Remus "They're not like Honeydukes sweets because there's nothing magic about them but they still taste nice. Sometimes nicer than the ones we get." He tried to nick another one to which Remus held the bag up "It's for Sirius," James whined.

Remus just passed the bag around James' grabbing form to Sirius who tentatively took one before hauling them out of sight again. It soon came to their turn and form the expressions they pulled Remus would have thought they were going to the gallows instead of getting a trim.

He amused himself by watching the children play outside and listening to the gossip some of the men handed out. Someone was having an affair with a neighbour while another had just had her third child by another man. Oh yes and there was him again. The villagers loved talking about Remus. The Potters had lived there for ages before they took Remus in and they loved speculating what he was doing there. Only the wizards knew about his true purpose in the house so the muggles usually thought he was a cousin or an adopted child. What really got them talking was his scars. They thought that the Potters were abusing him ever since he went swimming with James when they were ten and the villagers had caught an eyeful of all the nasty lines on his skin. The worst one was his leg which still looked like it had teeth clamped around it.

Remus liked listening to the gossip. It was fun hearing about their conspiracy theories and much more refreshing from the disdainful looks the wizards through. He often got away with some mischief with the muggles if he played the part right.

"Done," James declared jumping next to Remus and snatching the sweets from his hands. "Now go pay the man and let's go."

Remus inspected the cut. It was short and would take a while to grow back into his messy mane which was good since he didn't want another trip to the hairdressers until Christmas. Sirius' completely transformed his face. They had cut most of it off much to Sirius' displeasure and left it at his ears. It was smooth and shiny framing his aristocratic features wonderfully but Remus knew it would look better once Sirius had washed it. Once all the product they put in to make it straight was gone and the edges curled back into ringlets that would be shorter than those that morning.

Remus said his thanks to the barber and paid quickly since James was getting antsy. Mr and Mrs Potter loved the new haircuts and spent most of the afternoon getting the boys to pose for them. They both lapped up the attention, even if they disliked the reasons for it, and preened under the camera.

Mrs Potter finally let them go off once she had found the photo she liked and turned to Remus to help her get them framed.

"You're going to have to excuse Sirius if he says something offensive Remus," She conversed putting the back into another frame.

"How do you mean?"

"Well he comes from a different lifestyle to us. And although he is open minded about most issues, unlike his parents," She grounded "He may not be as accepting of your condition. Werewolves have never had a good reputation and our treatment of you is quite unusual. Not that it's wrong," She amended "Merlin knows you should all be treated like you are. It's disgusting what they're doing to those poor children now." He nodded his understanding and told her that he would finish putting the pictures in the frames. She left.

His lycanthropy was often discussed in the house since it happened once a month. But the treatment of his kind all together was usually something left for stormy nights when one of the Potters were in a foul mood. He disliked listening to the stories of children being forced into something he was. But unlike him they ended up with people like the Blacks who probably didn't know what they were getting into and thus terminated their agreement with the ministry.

He finished his job and decided that he would use his leisure time today to peruse one of the books in the Potters collection. Unfortunately the book he wanted wasn't there. He huffed and selected another fighting the urge to pee on everything as the scent of Sirius assaulted his nose. As if it wasn't bad enough he was stealing his time with James.

He curled up in the chair facing the window. The sun making him warm as he read about the exploits of a wizard that had tamed twenty dragons in his lifetime. It didn't seem much but the adventure and way he did it held Remus captive.

The next week was difficult for Remus. His bubble of safety had been invaded by a newcomer that so far hadn't earned any brownie points in his favour. He hogged the bathroom every morning and even if Remus got in there before him he abandoned any pretence of boundaries and came in to do his morning rituals. Then there was the fact that Remus would try and spend time with James only to find that he had took Sirius out into the village. He had no manners and constantly borrowed anything that took his fancy and left them lying around the house that Remus tried to keep clean. By the end of the week Remus had holed himself up in his room for the entire day. He refused to come out except to eat and left the Potters and Sirius to their own devices.

Someone knocked at his door. It was Mr Potter. He poked his head in and sat himself on Remus' bed. "Is everything alright Remus?"

He nodded in his curled up position "Just tired," He mumbled which was true. The full moon was a couple of days away and he had never been able to sleep before it happened.

"Are you sure that's all it is?" Remus looked over. Mr Potter knew exactly why he was sulking in his room. "You know you can talk to us Remus. Sirius moving in hasn't been easy on any of us, except James but that boy is too chipper to be normal." He chuckled but it died when Remus didn't join in "If you just asked them I'm sure they would let you join in."

"It's fine Mr Potter," He saw the man cringe as he did every time Remus addressed them as that. He had never called them otherwise which he knew upset them a little. "I'm just a little tired."

Mr Potter patted his arm "Come down later and I'll give you some warm milk," Drugged with dreamless sleep to knock him out. Remus nodded anyway.

Despite knowing that Remus was a werewolf when the prospect of the full moon loomed nearer Sirius was taken aback when the Potters started moving Remus' things back into the cellar.

"But I said you could have the room," Sirius muttered to him. Mr Potter had moved Sirius' things temporarily in Remus' room.

"Yes but it seems a waste to leave it empty and have you holed up with James," Mr Potter told him with a kind smile.

"But where's Remus sleeping?" Did he really not understand what a werewolf did?

"He'll be in the cellar for the next four days," Mr Potter managed to move the bed in as James dumped Sirius' trunk at the bottom of the bed.

"What's wrong Sirius? You look like someone just stole your broom," James smirked.

"I'm moving in here," Sirius told him like it explained his sudden mood.

It seemed to have to James since he winced and patted the seat on the bed for Sirius. An arched eyebrow and a scoff later Sirius was reluctantly seated next to him. "Remus is transforming tomorrow. We usually move him down the day before so he can set up properly and afterwards he can't really stay in his bed up here."

Remus left James to the task of informing Sirius about his monthly condition whilst he picked up a couple of books and took them into the cellar with him. It was a nice open space and Remus was lucky that he was allowed something so luxurious to transform in. Years of transforming in it had left it tainted though and Remus usually hated coming down. Since Sirius arrived he was more than happy to, it meant he was out of the way.

The camp bed was always uncomfortable, even more so when he was in the cellar. The stench of his own blood coupled with nightmares usually left him screaming or awake all night. By the next morning he had retreated into his pre-moon mood. Which usually was a mixture of excessive tiredness and slight irritation at the aches his bones made each passing hour.

"I'll get you one of those giant chocolate bars," James promised, as he did every full moon. "That'll put a smile on your face."

"Can't you just stay here for a while?" Remus mumbled as James moved to get up. Sirius was already to the door. He seemed to jump at the chance to get away from Remus these days.

"Sure I can Rem," he sat back down and pulled out one of the games they used to play when they were little. "Sirius," He called to his friend "You wanna be the red or purple one?" Sirius hadn't moved from his position in the doorway.

"Actually I think I might get started on that homework Flitwick assigned," He excused and made a move to go.

"You finished that yesterday though when I asked if you wanted to help Remus move his books down," Sirius turned red as he realised the fault in his lie.

Remus sighed ready to make the excuse Sirius needed "Just cause he finished it doesn't mean its good James. Your work needs looking over twice before it's passable," James gasped in mock offence as Sirius slipped up the stairs.

They played into the evening when Mr Potter came down to collect James. Moonrise wasn't far off and James would stay all night if he wasn't warned.

The transformation was just as bad as it always was. His bones broke and reshaped before he broke them again in his agitation. A night of blissful silence for Remus' human half was then cut short by the change back and the agony of what his animalistic side had done to them.

He woke up with his leg in a splint and his head bandaged. He only knew this because his hands always went to his face first and it was difficult to sit up with a splint on.

"Careful Remus," Mrs Potter warned helping him to sit up "You've banged your head quite badly."

He accepted the cup of water that scorched his torn throat in agony as he surveyed the rest of his injuries. There was nothing too bad except his leg which Mrs Potter told him had been twisted an awful way when they came down to check on him. He frowned wondering what led to the wolf to break his leg so badly then looked around to see what jokes James would make out of it. He always tried to cheer him up by making light of his injuries.

"He's not here," Mrs Potter told him handing him another cup of water. Wrinkling his nose he accepted the water and made a face for Mrs Potter to continue. "He was coming down to wake you up this morning when he tripped on Sirius' broom and broke his arm. Your fathers down at Mungos with him now," Sirius, he should have guessed. "Don't worry dear," she mistook his frown for one of worry "He'll be okay. It'll be fixed in a matter of minutes."

Mrs Potter changed his bandages at noon and left him to sleep the rest of the day away. At five that afternoon he was awoken by the clattering that could only mean James was back from Mungos. A lot of muffled arguing and shushing later James skulked down the stairs into Remus' lair.

Noticing he was awake he abandoned all pretence of being sneaky and bounded over to the camp bed "Mum says you twisted your leg pretty badly but I bet it had nothing on my arm," He held up his lightly bandaged arm "You should have seen it Rem. Oozing blood and bone sticking out." Remus laughed at the exaggeration James put on his minor break (He had heard that said upstairs,) and showed James his leg to compare. James was kind not to show just how disgusted he was by it and made jokes about how Mr and Mrs Potter were going to be doting on him hand and foot for the next few days.

"You get waited on all the time!" Remus accused. James just rolled his eyes.

"Do you think you'll be well enough to come upstairs?" Remus nodded. His leg was the only thing really worrying about his injuries. His head needed to be watched but hadn't proved to be more than a big cut so far. "That's good. I think mum's made your favourite for tea- and don't pull that face, you deserve it."

"Let's just hope I can keep it down," Remus said instead of all the protests he was going to voice.

It took an embarrassing piggy back ride from Mr Potter with James behind them to get Remus to the table. James made sure he was up just as Mrs Potter told James to set the table. All he had to do was pass them to Remus and he would do it for him so long as he provided a way of moving around the table.

"You're a star Remmy," James praised as he set the last knife down.

"Just put me back," Remus ordered swatting James' shoulder. "You know," He mused "You're eventually going to have to learn to do this yourself. If Lily ever actually agrees to marry you it'll be you doing this." He smirked as James blanked.

A devious smile came to James' face though "No, no I wont. I'll have you do it."

Remus smirked back at him "I doubt Lily would approve of me coming by _just _to set up your table."

"She'll have to," James declared haughtily "After all you'll be living with us, so really you'd just be doing a courtesy to us." James was going to take him with him, that was news to Remus. Sirius walked in the room then "There you are you lazy bastard. I just had to set the table with my bad arm," He joked holding his arm out accusingly with fake tears in his eyes. The arm didn't even hurt anymore James was just doing it for dramatic effect.

"Oh please!" Sirius moaned "If you're that stupid to trip over a broom then it's your own fault it hurts to set the table," He laughed and turned to Remus to share the joke with him. The laughter died off as he looked at Remus and he quickly averted his eyes.

"Tea!" Mr Potter announced bringing the plates in with his wife.

All through their meal Sirius avoided looking at Remus and kept his attention solely on James' earlier plight in Mungos. Remus was convinced it was the actions of a guilt conscience. For all Remus knew Sirius planted the broom there so James wouldn't have a chance to go down and see him as he usually did. Sirius probably wanted to start breaking all their traditions and take James all for himself. A small part of his brain was calling him irrational. But then he reminded it that he had just turned into a wolf for one night. He was allowed to be irrational.

"Remus sweetheart," Mrs Potter called "We were thinking of going to Diagon Alley in the next week. Do you want to come?" a chance to see the famous street in London was always tempting to him before he remembered his first and only trip there.

"I'd rather clean up the house if that's okay. James always leaves a mess and who knows what's accumulated in his trunk from the previous year," He excused. The Potters understood and never forced him to go to Diagon Alley with them.

"Alright then," She patted his hand "Now then," She addressed the other two "I was thinking of getting your school things first and then going down to Grimmauld Place," Sirius choked on what he was eating.

James patted his back harshly until his face had retained its usual pale pallor "Why?"

"Well I just want to get the rest of your things," She soothed. Also have a rant at Mrs Black if the expression she was wearing was anything to go by. "And maybe see if they can give you some gold. I don't mind buying your things Sirius but I think your parents would still like the option too," She was just planning an attack, Remus could tell.

"Do we have to?" Sirius was appealing to Mr Potter now. It would do him no good, he was as much as slave to Mrs Potter as Remus was.

"Don't worry Sirius. We'll be there and back before you know it," He reassured. James was looking uneasy also but knew better than to voice his doubts.

"Oh no," Mrs Potter gasped getting up "You're soaking through your bandages. James help Remus to the kitchen won't you," She clucked and went to get fresh bandages.

James bounced up and took Remus' arm "Come on," he helped Remus onto his back and carried him to the kitchen. He placed Remus on the counter clutching his bandaged arm like Remus' weight had just broken it all over again. He just kicked him with his good leg and let James up next to him. "It wasn't Sirius' fault," James said suddenly. Remus cocked an eyebrow, needing more information "The break. We'd went flying and Sirius left the broom in the hallway because he didn't want to track mud in the room. I forgot it was there and tripped this morning."

"Okay."

James looked over scrutinising him "It really wasn't Rem," He repeated.

"Okay."

"Alright then," James nodded "So can you let up on the death glares now? Only I think Sirius was two minutes away from wetting himself in there."

"I wasn't glaring," Remus muttered petulantly. James didn't understand.

Mr Potter carried Remus down at his request after desert and promised to move him up to his old room when his leg was better.

James and Sirius got their Hogwarts letters three days later. Mrs Potter was quick to snatch up the OWLs results the boys had gotten and promised them both their pick of the ice creams when they went to Diagon Alley the next day. James was made his favourite breakfast whilst Sirius had lunch. Never had he seen the Potters more proud of them.

"I'm impressed," Remus relinquished lounging on James' bed. Sirius was back in with James now and the room looked small with all the clutter two teenage boys made.

"Thank you," James grinned.

Remus continued "I never would have thought you'd get that many. I suppose Mr Potter really was right about there being a brain in your head somewhere." Realising that he had been insulted ten seconds later Remus held off the swatting that James was attempting. "You hit like a girl Potter," Remus teased.

"Arrogant little-" James cursed moving from hitting to tickling.

"James!" Sirius shouted and James ceased his assault. He shouted back his position in the house. Sirius came panting in "There's a girl taking her shirt off two houses away." That piqued James' interest. In the next second he had scrambled off Remus and left him alone in James' room. He knew this time he was abandoned for teenage hormones but still Remus thought that if it wasn't for Sirius James wouldn't have left the room just then.

Out of spite he stole back the book Sirius had taken from the Potter library and rubbed his neck on some of James' things. He knew James nor Sirius would know he had done it but it still felt good to know that he had made his point. He revelled in the book he had stolen and made sure that he paid it the attentive need it required from his part as James and Sirius stole back upstairs. They slammed the door of James' room with the boy not even wondering where Remus had gone.

Mr and Mrs Potter made sure they all knew their schedules for Diagon Alley the next day as she called them to a meeting in the living room. James and Sirius would be on their best behaviour as they went around the shops and then again when they went to the Black's residence. The excuse of seeing if they would pay for Sirius seemed to satisfy some of the arguments Sirius had for not going but Remus could see the flaw of already having paid for Sirius' things and then asking for gold. He wondered if she would even use that live tomorrow or just explode as soon as she saw the Blacks.

"Remus sweetheart are you sure you don't want to come?" Mrs Potter asked gently.

He shook his head pulling his good foot up "I'd just slow you down. You have much more important things to do tomorrow than wait for me to catch up."

She nodded and repeated her warnings to James and Sirius as they retired upstairs. He prolonged going to his room for as long as possible. That was until Mr and Mrs Potter started flirting in the kitchen. He knew when to leave any room near them when that Mr Potter took that tone of voice and left promptly.

Limping into his room he scowled as the scent of Sirius assaulted his nose. The boy didn't seem to wash! He had gotten his smell everywhere and not even an open window had managed to push out most of the smell when he decided it was time to go to sleep. The only safe haven in the room was his bloodstained sheets that would need washed tomorrow and Remus gladly dove onto them.

He had almost gotten to sleep when the door was abruptly pushed open and a knock sounded pathetically after it. Sirius was standing timidly in the door his courage dissipating the longer he stood there. Remus sat up to acknowledge him but didn't say anything to help him.

Finally the legendary Gryffindor courage found him and he steeled his shoulders, facing Remus head on. "James wants to know what kinds of sweets you want tomorrow," He rushed out.

Cocking his head to the side Remus regarded the boy in suspicion "James knows what kind of sweets I like."

Sirius looked like he was going to ask more but gave up, nodded and left with the door slamming behind him. Remus lay back down and listened to Sirius stomping back to James' room and the banging that sounded when he got inside. Huffing in a second wave of Sirius' lingering scent he drifted off into an annoyed slumber.

Remus had the house ready for when they came back at seven. He had managed to sort out James' trunk and dug around the room for all of the washing Sirius and James had neglected to put in the washing basket. Everything was washed and drying. The house was dusted and ordered and Remus even had time to start making the tea.

James was the first through the door. A tornado of anger he flung his coat to the floor and kicked off his shoes into the wall. Remus winced at the mess he was leaving but didn't try and pick it up until the other three were through the door. He took Mr and Mrs Potters things and hung them up whilst they were talking quietly with Sirius. They had taken him into the living room while James slammed the cupboards in the kitchen for something to eat.

"I've already put something on. It'll be done soon," He took the biscuits out of James' trembling hands and pushed him towards the rest of his family.

James sighed getting a hold of himself as he lingered in the doorway "Thanks." Remus went back to the oven and checked on their tea before getting the table cloth out. "There's some disgusting people in the world," James growled into the room. He seemed to want to vent but Remus knew that Sirius shouldn't overhear what James had to say about his family so he lead James outside. "They kicked him out and disowned him. We turned up today and they wondered what Sirius was doing there! There! His own home! Mum went ballistic and started shouting at them, trying to get them to see some sense. I mean I know he's better off here but still, they're his family. How could they do that?" James cried pacing in the back garden. He ran his hands through his messy hair "Then it got worse when Mum tried to take Regulus... they called us blood traitors which yeah, we are, but only nut-cases like them care about that shit." James ranted for a while longer.

Remus eventually told him that he needed to sort the tea out and left him to calm down on his own. Sirius was still with the Potters in the living room so Remus set out the tea and told them they could warm it up when they wanted it.

James was the only one that sat with him when he ate but he wasn't very good conversation. He spent most of it glaring at the tablecloth and asking about the things Remus had done whilst they were gone. Sirius and the Potters didn't come out the living room when Remus went up to bed and James didn't join them in consoling Sirius.

Apparently he "Needs them more than me at the moment. It's probably nice to have parents that actually care about you for a change." James had curled himself up next to Remus on his bed. "What were your parents like?" He asked quietly "Did they mind that you were a werewolf?"

"They died before I got bitten," He wondered if James had actually ever heard the story of the massacre.

"They must have been nice," James told him like he knew them better than Remus.

He smiled at the sincerity in James' tone "Oh yeah, what makes you say that then? For all you know they could have been horrid."

James' expression didn't change from his mournful seriousness "I used to hear you crying about them when we were little. No matter how bad their death was you don't cry over someone you don't care about."

"I'll take your word for it. I don't really remember anything more about them than what happened that night," James pulled Remus into a hug. It was more for his own benefit rather than Remus' judging from the snuffles he could feel in his neck. Remus patted him on the back awkwardly. "You should go see Sirius. Mr and Mrs Potter are nice an' all but I'm sure he'd rather talk to you right now," he consoled knowing that this was what James had been waiting for Remus to say.

He'd known it since James had mentioned Regulus. The reason he wasn't down there with Sirius wasn't because he thought Sirius needed his space, it was because Sirius had probably been rejected by one brother that day and James didn't want his own views on the situation to make Sirius think he'd lost another. Remus had been selfish keeping James to himself all evening and finally pushed him to go.

The atmosphere in the Potter household was strained the rest of the summer. James and Sirius became closer than ever and though Remus resented it slightly he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. What right did he have.

Come September Sirius was made an honorary Potter and invited back for Christmas and the next summer before he left school. Remus made sure James' trunk had everything he needed and then checked Sirius' as he hauled them down to the Potters car. Mr Potter was just as proud as usual when he was allowed to use his muggle contraption and helped Remus stow the trunks in the boot as James and Sirius said their goodbyes to Mrs Potter.

He was engulfed in another James Potter hug and held tightly as James murmured how much he was going to miss him. "Don't worry about it. Just focus on getting Lily to fall in love with you," He returned the hug as his summer truly ended.

"I will," James promised facing Remus properly "Now you be good for mum and dad. No tearing your limbs off alright?" Remus nodded.

James waved to his mother and climbed into the car. Sirius was standing awkwardly in front of him now. He was fiddling with his hands with skittish eyes that skimmed over Remus' face now and then. A warning from Mr Potter that they would miss the train had Sirius thrusting his hand out.

"Bye," Remus shook it quickly and joined Mrs Potter at the front door.

She pulled him into a hug as they watched Mr Potter drive off "Don't worry, they'll be back for Christmas."

It was always the same when James left. Life seemed duller. Sure this summer hadn't been ideal but James just had a way of filling the house. Now it was a matter of routine for Remus as the Potters went about their lives without their little boy to dote on.

They got owls every month from James and some every week from teachers that were writing home about what James had done this time. Remus liked seeing them fly towards the house as they always brought home an exciting story about some mischief or other.

The month of December, two weeks before the two boys were scheduled to come back, had a tale of Peter falling into the frozen lake. The squid had carried him out and Lily had devoted herself to looking after Peter for the next two weeks, much to James' chagrin.

The week before they were coming back Mr Potter enlisted Remus' help in moving his bed back into Sirius' and James' room. He had just got out the smell of Sirius and it would be given back to the boy. Remus just told Mr Potter that it was stupid moving it back and forth like this so they should just keep it in James' room from now on. He disagreed and Remus didn't have the heart to argue with him so he let it go.

After the move it was time for the decorations to go up and for Remus and Mrs Potter to plan the holiday shopping and food. Mr Potters brother would be paying them a visit along with Mrs Potter's brother, his wife and his three children. Beds would have to be moved again when an announcement of Mrs Potter's sister coming also with her two children meant that they would have more than a full house for Christmas eve.

"They can stay in Remus' room," Mrs Potter hissed when she thought Remus was still out cold from the moon. "He's moved around too much. James is just going to have to suffer through it if he has any complaints."

"It's not James I'm worried about, you've seen what they're like with each other," They had moved onto Sirius.

"Well I'm not having Remus go into James' room. Anyway you know my sister will complain if she's put in Remus' bed."

They were silent for a while. "We're going to have to transfigure some things in the living room," Mr Potter moaned getting back on track with the arrangements. The matter of James and Sirius was sorted for now.

They arrived home on the twentieth to warm hugs from Mrs Potter as Mr Potter lugged their trunks behind him. James got a stern telling off for all the owls they had been sent whilst Mrs Potter made a motion behind her to Remus to put an appointment for their hair on again. Sirius had let his grown long so it artfully reached his shoulders. The style was still vaguely in place but it looked more roguish than charming which it had been in the summer. James' on the other hand was a lost cause.

He told him so when he came to embrace him. "There's nothing wrong with it," James whined plucking at strands.

"I doubt your aunt would agree," James grew pale at the mention of his mothers sister. She had never approved of the Potters and James was usually the brunt of her complaints.

"Oh Merlin not that old bat," Sirius cocked an eyebrow behind James. "She's a harpy Sirius. Always complains about everything. 'This bed is too lumpy,' 'How could father let you marry a man like that,' 'Honestly you'd think you were homeless!'" He sprouted in a falsetto. Mrs Potter shouted a reprimand out to him from the kitchen. "Sorry Mum. Anyway Rem's right, a trip to the hairdressers is definitely in order if we're going to survive Christmas."

"You make it sound dangerous Prongs," Sirius teased. Remus cocked his head 'Prongs?'

"Oh but it is," James shuddered and led Sirius upstairs only to be stopped on the landing by Mr Potter. Remus went into the kitchen to help Mrs Potter with the tea.

James had decided that although his cousins and aunt was getting his room he wasn't letting them have his quilt and staged a robbery with Sirius. They were giggling to themselves when they came back laden with pillows and one of their quilts. Mr Potter had blown up two air mattresses he had bought at a muggle shop for them to sleep on as he was going to transfigure other things to make beds for their guests.

"So where are your uncles sleeping?" Sirius whispered. They obviously thought they were quiet enough to not wake Remus up.

"Living room. They don't mind it, it's just Mums sister and her kids that are stuck up," James murmured back tossing a pillow onto Sirius with an oomph.

"Anyone we know at Hogwarts?"

"Nah. One of my cousins goes to Beauxbatons in France because 'the teaching is so much more enlightening.' One of them's left and the others are all too young to go to school yet," Remus didn't like any of them. Unlike Sirius they made their displeasure at him being there known. He supposed that was one thing he could give the boy.

"Sounds dreadful," Sirius commented.

"They are. See you're lucky that I'm the one who you met," James sang as Sirius shushed him chuckling himself.

"Shut up and go to sleep," He heard a pillow hit someone and more chuckling.

The rest of the Potter clan arrived on the twenty third. Mr Potters brother came first. Younger than his brother he still had the delight of being a bachelor and regaled all of his saucy details to his attentive nephew who was delighted to hear of it all. He gave Sirius tips on wooing girls and made a joke that he would probably have more hope with his advice than James which sent them all into gales of laughter.

By the time Mrs Potters side of the family came they were all in good spirits. They arrived together and it was lucky that James and Sirius had got their haircut since the first thing she did was survey the pair of them whilst handing her coat to Remus.

"I see you're hair's been attended too," She commented before bestowing greetings to her sister. Her children ranging from twenty one to nine were already cataloguing what they would inherit when Mr and Mrs Potter died. Remus made sure to touch everything their eyes landed on until they stopped and glared at him instead. Mrs Potters brother was slightly better company than her sister. He stood proudly and introduced his children to James and Sirius before spotting Mr Potters brother and making his way over for a chat.

The two children he left behind seemed to find their haughty cousins more interesting than James and soon went off with them into the living room.

"Nightmares," James muttered.

"Better than my house," Sirius shot back with a grin.

James took some coats off him "Come on let's dump these in the cellar and hide in the kitchen for a while."

Cookies were piled high like mountains and guarded like gold. Mrs Potter hadn't left her treats unattended when they entered the kitchen and soon James was forced to mingle with his cousins. Remus was glad that he wasn't a Potter since he could stay out of sight while the family was here. Sirius on the other hand was the centre of attention. He kept coming into the kitchen with begging looks for Mrs Potter to help him. All too soon Mrs Potters sister or her children would come and drag him back into the fold.

"Poor boy," Mrs Potter said with a smile. She was finding it slightly amusing also.

The entertainment of seeing each other again after so long worn off as tiredness set in. Mrs Potters sister was slightly put out at the arrangements she and her children would be taking. They had James' room and two of them would have to share a bed. True to what James said the men of the house had no objection to sleeping in the living room and it turned out to be the children that were the most difficult to persuade.

"How come _he_ gets a bed? One of them pointed.

Mrs Potters sister wholeheartedly agreed "Yes. It's not like his kind needs comfort. One of my boys could be sleeping there instead of getting a stiff neck from sharing."

"It's not like it's a five star luxury bed," James argued "It's the one we used to keep in the cellar." She turned pale then red and asked for a word with her sister in the kitchen. It seemed the idea of bringing anything that could be infected from the cellar was unnerving her. The shouting got louder as Remus felt guiltier.

James hauled him upstairs when they started arguing about putting him in the cellar for the remainder of their stay. Sirius wasn't far behind them and breathed a sigh of relief when there was a solid barrier between him and James' relatives.

"One of you can take the bed," Remus told them gathering his pyjamas up.

"Rem," James moaned "No. Don't listen to what she says. Merlin, she does this every year!"

"She's right though."

"No she isn't," James insisted "And I swear if you don't sleep in your bed tonight I'll..." He seemed to be fishing around for a good enough threat. Years of swearing to hex him had worn off since he knew James couldn't perform magic until he was seventeen outside of school. So far that was three months away. "I'll scent your things!" He settled on.

"What?" Sirius murmured from his swaddle of pillows.

"Yeah, you heard me Rem. I'll scent all over your things. See if you can stand them once you know they're mine," He warned.

"No," Remus scoffed "You wouldn't."

"Fine," James snatched Remus' pyjama's out of his hands and ran them over his neck just like Remus had done to his things not so long ago. It bothered him a little until he remembered his place in the house.

"They're yours anyway," Remus told him with a defeated sigh as James went to grab more of his things.

James threw what he was holding down and stomped back over to him "No they're not, they're yours. Come on Rem, grow a backbone and tell me to stop!" He didn't say anything which just made James angrier. "Fine," He shouted "If you're not going to stand up for yourself then you may as well sleep in the cellar like an animal. Go on, I don't even want to see you." He pushed Remus to the door which he went through without a fuss.

Judging from the bangs coming from his room it was the wrong thing to do. He avoided looking at the Potters who were wondering what was wrong and especially Mrs Potters sister when he unlocked the cellar and went down for the night.

Christmas eve sounded cheery from his seat in the cellar. He hadn't managed to get to sleep for more than a couple of hours on the floor as James' accusations kept coming back to him. James didn't understand and he never would. Remus wasn't like him, he couldn't stand up for his rights since he had none. That had been made clear by the ministry and everyone else since the massacre.

A shrill laugh and a pop signalled more alcohol being added to the merriment and Remus curled in on himself even tighter. He should have grabbed his jumper before leaving his room.

Footsteps sounded and Remus looked up hoping it was James coming to keep him company. It wasn't. Sirius was carrying a plate of everything the Potters had on for the Christmas eve buffet in one hand and a bag in the other.

He stopped a good distance away from Remus before putting the plate and bag down. "Mr Potter thought you might like some," He nudged it closer with his foot. Remus glanced at it but didn't take the plate just yet. Sirius was starting to squirm again and Remus wondered what was keeping him down here. He cleared his throat a couple of times and opened it like a fish some more before spitting out "You can come back up you know."

Another high laugh sounded from above and they both cringed at Mrs Potters sister being the culprit. "An animal doesn't belong up there," Remus told him finally. Sirius winced and retreated quickly after that.

The plate was warm and had all of his favourites on including a couple of pilfered cookies. Remus munched on them happily whilst dipping into the bag. His pyjama's and a quilt had been stuffed in. Not his own but the one Sirius and James had nicked from James' cousins. He wondered vaguely what happened to his own as he pulled it out and rolled himself up in it.

The family didn't leave until the day after boxing day. James had forgiven him for Christmas and brought down the food himself along with a pillow when he informed Remus that one of his cousins had took Remus' bed.

"I am so tempted to fling one of your bloodstained quilts onto it just so he'll get out of it. Mum caught on though and hid them in the cupboard," Sirius chuckled from his perch on the stairs. He wouldn't tread further into the room. "Anyway they'll be gone after boxing day so you can open your presents when you come up." James had made it a rule that he wasn't allowed to open his presents whether it was his birthday or Christmas if he was in the cellar. "She'd be down here herself, and dad, but every time she tries she gets lectured about the proper use of a werewolf," he scowled.

"Don't suppose you know what I've got?" James had told him about the new robes and owl his parents had bought him.

"Well I think there was definitely a chocolate bar shape under that tree," He teased making Remus' mouth water at the prospect of chocolate.

Later that night Remus heard footsteps coming into the cellar. He looked up to the frozen form of Sirius walking into the room. He hadn't thought Remus was awake judging from the look of shock on his face and it took Remus sitting up for him to drop what he was holding and run back up the stairs.

It was a present, wrapped poorly but still held together enough to conceal what was hidden inside it. It had Remus' name hanging from a tag in an elegant scrawl and he was half tempted to open it. James had made it clear though that presents were to be opened outside of the cellar so he set it aside and burrowed back into his blankets.

The Potters finally left and Mr Potter came down to tell him to come up for some lunch. Remus grabbed his makeshift bed and present, practically running to the bathroom for a good wash. He got out feeling much better than he had all Christmas and joined the Potters at the table.

Mrs Potter loaded his arms with baked treats and ushered him into the living room where he had a couple of presents waiting for him. James was right, there was a chocolate bar along with a new book and some jumpers. He was about to settle in to his new book when James insisted on showing him Godric his new owl.

"I doubt the teachers will be happy you named your owl after one of the founders," he grinned.

James smiled a reply "Well tough." He said that he was keeping him at home when he went to Hogwarts and that Remus was to use him to write letters. "This way I have an excuse for why the monthly update's late," He had received many a lecture about his late replies.

"Late or not we all know your version of the truth is a lie," James gasped in outrage and took Remus' new book off him. "Say you're sorry and you get it back."

After Mr Potter had returned all three boys to their respective rooms Remus remembered the present Sirius had dropped. He retrieved it from James' quilt whilst stripping and putting it in the wash. The present turned out to be a bunch of sweets he liked as well as a letter writing set.

He went up to James' room and knocked on the door before pushing it open. The two of them were lounging on James' bed with a piece of parchment between them. Something seemed to be moving on it but he couldn't really make it out from his position at the door.

Holding up the new parchment Sirius had given him as well as some sweets he said "Thank you," and left.

James and Sirius spent the rest of the holiday playing with James' new owl and riding on their broomsticks out back. Sometimes they would get the owl to send letters to each other when they were on their brooms which Mrs Potter quickly told them off for.

"He's not a toy James!" She shouted urging the bird down with the promise of bacon.

Three days before they were to go back to school an official owl flew through the Potters window. He dropped a letter in front of Sirius and flew back out without waiting for a reply.

"Looks pretty official," James noted taking in the expensive parchment and printed handwriting.

Sirius opened it tentatively "My Uncle Alphard's dead," He told them. Mrs Potter drew Sirius into a hug. "It's alright," He consoled "I never really knew him. Mum didn't let him around all that much."

"Still he's family," Mr Potter patted Sirius on the arm.

"It says there's a meeting at ministry I'm to attend. Apparently he's left me something," Alphard had left Sirius a considerable sum of money in his will. Enough for Sirius to tell the Potters he could move out when summer came and get his own flat.

Mrs Potter wouldn't have it and argued with Sirius the day he came back and the day he was going to Hogwarts about how he was staying with them until he left school. The argument was unresolved by the time James and Sirius were loading their trunks back into Mr Potters car and driving off. Mrs Potter was muttering under he breath as she stalked in about children wanting to grow up too fast.

The argument continued by post after that. The only letters Remus ever heard about that weren't about Sirius' living arrangements were the ones the school sent them about James' latest detention. Mr Potter tried not to involve himself too much in the spat between his wife and Sirius. Instead he helped Remus compose his letters to James about what was happening back home. Godric was the happiest bird alive when Remus presented him with his first letter that wouldn't require him flying from one side of the room to the other.

James also used their new level of communication to tell him all the things he left out of the letters to his parents. He told Remus about how the map had allowed them to sneak into Hogsmeade undetected and swipe some Firewisky. Then there was the exploits with Lily, those were his favourites, he loved hearing about James' failed plans of seduction. No matter how much Remus advised him James always turned it into something his own and inevitably into something that sent the wrong kind of message.

When exams started James started moaning in his letters about all the pressure the teachers were putting on them. How Peter was sent to the hospital wing after he fainted in Care of Magical Creatures because the stress of remembering all the creatures became too much.

He was still chuckling to himself about Peter throwing up in divination because of the fumes when Mrs Potter stormed in with a letter in hand. For a moment he thought it was one of the letters James had sent him until she started reading it to Mr Potter.

"'I've already bought an apartment,' 'It's all settled.' Can you believe this! I told him that we were happy to have him living with us but then he goes behind our backs like this. Oh just wait until summer comes Sirius Black!" She ranted. Mr Potter shared an exasperated look over his morning tea with Remus.

"Maybe it's a good thing," Mr Potter consoled "He's going to want to live on his own after school and this way he's building the foundation of his life already. If he stayed with us until he left he'd think he was a burden. This way he's regaining some of his independence back."

It seemed to calm her down a little but come the last two weeks of school Mrs Potter was still muttering about having Sirius stay with them on weekends.

"Sirius is going to be sorry he ever suggested moving out when he gets back," Mr Potter grinned leading Remus down to the cellar. He couldn't wait until morning, it meant that he had a whole two weeks to recover. There would be no breaks preventing him from hugging James when he came home from school.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Remus said handing his clothes over and sitting on his stripped bed. There wouldn't be covers until the morning.

"I'm sure all of you will be," Mr Potter smiled "I'll be there in the morning." He gave Remus a hug and went back upstairs with his wife. His bones broke half an hour later as he howled into the darkness.

Remus woke up with light in his eyes. He squinted and closed them again hearing muffled voices above him. His body ached more so than usual and he knew there was more than one thing broken. He had a hard time breathing and would have screamed if his voice hadn't gone as someone picked him up. He passed out as his foot banged off something and sent agonizing pain flaring up his body.

The second time he woke up it was to smells he didn't recognise. Dittany was there along with potions that had some ingredients he had smelt in James' trunk. The bed felt wrong underneath his skin and the ceiling he looked up to wasn't somewhere he knew.

Someone was trying to soothe him as he hyperventilated. Hands ended up pinning him back to the bed and Sirius' face loomed over him. That just made him worse. Sirius was at school, surely Remus hadn't slept through two weeks.

"Remus! Calm down please," Sirius begged. He curled away from the hands and into himself despite the pain that came over him. "Remus, you need to calm down or they'll give you something again. Please."

He felt his breathing slow down in time as he noticed other people in beds similar to his own. It was some kind of hospital. That made sense. He must have injured himself more than the Potters could heal.

"Where are we?"

"Mungos. The Aurors brought you here when they realised you weren't involved in what happened," Sirius told him.

Remus turned towards him "What happened? Sirius what's happened?"

Sirius' face paled even more than it had been. For the first time Remus realised his eyes were red rimmed. It looked like he had been crying. "It wasn't your fault," Sirius started "That's why you're so banged up. The Aurors think you were trying to get out and protect the Potters." Remus felt himself go numb. "There was an attack three days ago. Death Eaters used their werewolves to launch an attack on the Potters. I'm so sorry Remus," Tears were welling up in Sirius eyes again. Remus didn't care though. The Potters were alive! They had to be.

"Where's James?"

"With the Aurors. They want to get everything sorted now, legally, before any complications arise. Thank Merlin James is of age," Sirius wept.

Remus felt himself shaking at the prospect of his family being torn apart. He would never see Mr Potter again or Mrs Potter. He felt sick at the idea that two people who had taken him into their lives were gone. All because of his own kind.

He didn't cry. Not until James joined them a couple of hours later. The look on his face was all Remus needed to accept that this was happening. Faces blurred as he cried his own pain away. James came and lay down on the bed next to him. Pulling him into a hug they both needed.

"It's not your fault Remus," James told him.

The Auror who had found him was Alastor Moody. He was an old friend of Dumbledores who was headmaster at the school James and Sirius went to. He had realised the delicate position James was in when he found the Potters dead and after extensive talks with Dumbledore they had sorted out all the legal stuff.

"If they hadn't Dads brother would have gotten everything. I like him an' all but he wouldn't have taken me in," James explained "So now that I've sorted everything we have money. We're going to be okay Remus," James was trying to hold in his own sobs. "The house is being put up for sale though. That was the only thing they couldn't sort out. Sirius said we can stay with him though."

"Of course you can," Sirius reassured from his seat next to the bed.

James ran his hands through Remus' hair "So everything's going to be alright."

"I'm coming with you?" Remus hiccuped out.

"I'm not leaving you," James promised "I'll never leave you." He pulled him in for another hug.

Sirius' flat was small and dirty. He had gotten it cheap for the summer and was planning on looking for another one in his seventh year. The last week of school was pointless for the other two to go back to. Exams were finished and really all they would be doing was grieving for the loss of their parents.

The problem of the flat soon presented itself. "I guess I'll have to sleep on the settee," James muttered as Sirius showed them his only bedroom.

"Or you could take the bed and I'll sleep on the settee," James shook his head.

"Your flat."

"You're the guest," Sirius insisted.

James pinched his bottom lip "How about we look up transfiguration spells and see if we can add another bed," he suggested. Sirius agreed and they got their school books out.

Remus had been allowed out of Mungos earlier that day and had taken to the settee immediately. He didn't care that it stank of Sirius and cheap drinks. Sirius was familiar now and Remus needed that.

He woke up to Sirius swearing in the bedroom and James yelping in distress. The bed they had tried to transfigure had turned on them and was backing them into a corner.

Once the bed arrangements had been sorted with them all braving the shops to buy a camp bed for Remus to sleep on it was time for them to sort out the budget for living off. Sirius and James proved to be mistrusted with money. They had made a food list containing mostly sweets so Remus had declared that the shopping was going to be his responsibility.

As the days went by Remus' list of things to do grew when James proved to be inept at any household chores with Sirius being only slightly worse. He couldn't cook or work the simplest household cleaning charm and soon the precarious predicament he was in started to hit. Remus could see James falling deeper and deeper into a mood that would do no help in his current state.

He eventually blew up one day "I can't do anything!"

Remus hurried over to find him crying over a pink sock. He took it off him adding washing to the list of things to do before consoling James "You can. You have lots of talents."

"None that matter," He snatched the sock and held it accusingly up at Remus.

"Look," He took it back "You just need time to learn these things. It's just like magic, the more you practice the better you get."

James wiped his eyes "So you're going to let me do the washing again?" He asked sceptically.

Remus looked at the sock again "Maybe not with the colours that run," Which put a small smile on James' face.

Sirius had taken to avoiding him again. He'd sit the farthest corner away from Remus or have James as a buffer in between. Barely would he make contact, verbal or otherwise which was just fine with him. It bothered him some that James usually went into Sirius' room on an evening though. He knew he wasn't allowed in, it hadn't been expressed but he knew. So he usually curled up with a book on an evening and left them to it.

This night he couldn't. Knocking at the door he waited until one of them shouted him in and found them lounging with books open in front of them. Remus felt proud that James wasn't letting his school work suffer because of what happened.

"Everything alright Rem?" James asked cheerily.

"Yes. I was just wondering what time we were going to the ministry tomorrow," James frowned and turned to Sirius to see if he knew what Remus was talking about.

"The ministry? Why would we be going there?"

"It's the full moon tomorrow I thought-"

"Shit!" James cursed bolting upright. Sirius just saved the ink bottle spilling all over his sheets. "Oh no. Merlin no. Sirius what are we gonna do?" Remus didn't know what to think when he realised for the first time since they were eight James had forgotten when the full moon was.

"He's not transforming here!" Sirius shot down when it looked like James was about to make that suggestion.

"I thought we were going to the ministry," Remus told them which just made James pale and panic worse.

"No of course not!" He scrambled off the bed and ran towards his cloak at the front door. "Come on we need to find somewhere!"

"But-"

"No Remus! You can't go to the ministry. If you do then they'll think I can't look after you and take you away. Dumbledore told me so." James was struggling with his shoes so Remus went over and untied them for him.

"I thought they had holding cells there," Sirius called from his doorway.

"They got rid of them years ago. Figured since all the werewolves were with pure-bloods there was no reason for them to have them. Now they're either shot on sight or moved to pure-blood houses. Now put your coat on," He ordered Remus holding it out to him.

They walked for hours trying to find the right place for him to transform. Either it was too surrounded by muggles or it would be discovered in the morning with blood everywhere. They went into abandoned houses and buildings that had storage rooms but they too were useless. There wasn't anywhere secure enough or free from tetanus.

It was three in the morning when James tried to persuade Sirius to let Remus change in the flat. Again he was shot down "No, James. He'll wreck the place. Not to mention I doubt we can cast good silencing charms every hour if there's a werewolf trying to kill us."

At five they found the ideal place. It was a sports centre that was being demolished in three days. It was recently cleaned out which meant no rubbish and had an ideal space for Remus to romp around. They spent the rest of the day there securing the sports hall and setting up silencing spells on the outside. By nightfall Remus was confident that he wouldn't be found.

He woke up to snoring in his ear. Sirius was drooling too close for comfort and it took him a while to sit up. James had been reading in the chair next to Sirius' bed where he was sleeping and jumped out of the room as soon as he saw Remus was awake.

Coming back in with a jug of water he helped Remus hold it with a promise of "We'll be prepared next month." The healing spells James knew were few and far between so it was no wonder that he had cuts still bleeding on his arms. He handed the jug back and nodded down to Sirius. "He carried you in here this morning. It was so funny," James laughed "I don't think I've ever seen Sirius squeamish before."

Remus was too tired to correct James. It wasn't squeamishness Sirius was experiencing it was disgust. He felt his eyes close on the matter and only hoped he was awake to see Sirius' face when he realised he had been cuddling a werewolf.

Their Hogwarts letters came with a surprise for James. "What is that?" Sirius choked out.

"I am so proud of you," Remus countered "Mr and Mrs Potter would have been too," James stopped glaring at it when Remus told him that.

"You think?"

"Head Boy? Definitely," He praised. James seemed to straighten up a little. They didn't talk about the Potters that much. It brought back too many bad memories none of them wanted to face right now.

"It must be a joke," Sirius scoffed stealing James' letter from him.

"No joke Padfoot," There was those nicknames again. Remus didn't really want to know why they were called that, prongs had tonnes of scenarios running through his mind and all of them had James doing less than saintly things.

James snatched it back and handed his letter to Remus instead. He noted down all the things James would need for his seventh year and cross referenced it with Sirius'. They would need to make a trip to Diagon Alley.

Sirius was trying to snatch the Head Boy badge from James when the third owl came in through the window. It was addressed to James again and bearing the Hogwarts crest. James frowned as he read it.

"Dumbledore wants to see me."

"When?" Sirius asked.

"Tomorrow. He'll be here at noon," They all glanced at each other and moved as a force.

Despite Remus' attempts the apartment was never clean. The last moon of the summer had rendered him unable to move for three days which meant takeaway boxes were strewn everywhere. Thirteen trips to the bin were what got rid of all their waste so they divided off into the three main parts of the apartment. James took the bathroom that was full of mismatched styling products and James' awful attempts at shaving meant that the sink looked like something had died in it. Sirius took the living room and was shouting at them about turning up their beds early tomorrow so it would be clean for their guests. Remus took on the kitchen. Dishes were everywhere with boxes lying around from midnight treats and everyday snacking.

Remus had them all up early the next morning, he made sure they were washed and ready by half nine before tackling their hair. Sirius' wasn't that bad and he was more than capable of doing it himself. James on the other hand...

"Ow!" He whined as the brush pulled another tangle loose.

"That's it, haircut!" Remus declared with a snarl at James' hair.

He didn't know how they did it but by noon they were presentable enough to entertain the elderly wizard and stern looking witch standing at their door.

The witch made a beeline for James and Sirius "How are you James," She tutted looking him over.

"I finished my transfiguration essay," James said stupidly.

The elderly wizard was standing near the door, not making his greetings to James and Sirius just yet. Instead he turned to Remus.

"It's very nice to finally meet you Mister Lupin," He nodded "I knew your parents, they were fine wizards. Such a shame what happened." Remus didn't know what to say. He had never been addressed so formally before. He had actually forgotten he had a last name.

Dumbledore moved further into the room so Remus retreated into the kitchen to bring the drinks out. He left them in the living room and strangely Sirius joined him in the kitchen on his way back. He took up a seat near the door to try and listen in, completely ignoring Remus.

They were in there from noon until half four when Remus asked if they were staying for tea. Declining politely the left not long after with warm goodbyes for all three of them.

James didn't tell them the reason for the visit until they had finished eating. All three of them were seated on the settee with James in the middle. He seemed to be finding the right words to tell them what had happened.

"The reason Dumbledore came was because of you," He was looking at Remus. What did that mean though 'because of' him. "He asked what I did on the full moon and I just knew he knew about it so I told him," James rushed out. "He didn't say anything though and just asked what I was going to do with you when I went to school and I told him I didn't know. He seemed to know I would say that as well so he gave me this proposition." James took a big breath "Do you want to come to Hogwarts with me Rem? I won't force you but It'll be the best thing for us."

"James!" Sirius argued.

"I know," He hissed keeping his eyes on Remus.

"You want me to come with you?" James nodded. "I guess it would be alright," He muttered to himself.

"Dumbledore has it all planned. There's a place for you to transform. We can look for a suitable place after school. It's going to be fine," James soothed.

Sirius looked less than pleased with the arrangement and Remus knew before he invited James to his room that they were going to argue. The lack of noise meant they had put a silencing spell up so Remus started adding up the gold they were going to spend in Diagon Alley.

They planned their trip on the last week of the summer. Remus had just recovered from the moon and voiced little protest about being dragged to Diagon since he was promised they would look in the muggle shops afterwards for a few new jumpers for him.

The first stop was Gringotts. Then the Apocathery and the other shops there. Remus hated Diagon Alley and being back wasn't helping change his stance on the place. The people stared and pointed making him reminisce about the bloody lip and stinging hex he had gotten the first time he walked these streets.

Never had he been more happy when they walked out of the Leaky Cauldron and into Muggle London. He was carrying the majority of the bags after arguing with them for carrying their own. There were lots of them so it wasn't really his fault when he dropped a few as Sirius yanked him to a stop.

"What are those?" He asked pointing across the street.

Remus squinted trying to see what was captivating his attention. All he saw were hairy leather clad men astride "Motorbikes." He pulled his arm out of Sirius' grasp and picked up the fallen items.

James called Sirius to hurry up, pulling out of his daze with a "I want one," He caught up with them.

James owned some muggle clothing and had taken to lending Sirius some for their days out. Never had they actually been inside a muggle clothing shop though and Remus was beginning to think that had been a wise choice.

Leather, flares and clothes Remus would never touch with a pole were flung in his direction with James begging him to let them come back and buy some for themselves. He promised so long as they downgraded from flares to jeans.

Sirius pouted but changed his mind when Remus showed tried on a pair. He abandoned his no touching rule quickly to turn Remus this way and that so he could see the jeans properly. Remus was mildly uncomfortable throughout the whole experience. When they had picked out suitable clothes for him along with a new duffel bag to put them in they headed to the tills. Remus narrowed his eyes but kept quiet at the black pair of jeans that had made their way into their purchases.

Finally September 1st arrived. Godric was squawking in his cage as Sirius apparated in and out to Kings Cross. Remus had remained behind to make sure he didn't miss anything as Sirius took the last cauldron to James and the trolleys.

"Shut up!" He shouted at the bird "You're next."

He took the bird and came back to nothing but Remus and his duffel bag left. Taking one last look around the apartment he hoisted his bad up and held onto Sirius' outstretched arm. It felt like he had went through a really narrow tunnel and finally found fresh air when they landed next to James at Kings Cross.

"All done then?" he asked hopping onto his trunk.

"Yep," Sirius confirmed as Remus started pushing James and the trolley through the station.

Sirius was walking ahead of him to talk to James so Remus admired the station he used to visit when they waved James off. The barrier was easy to find and soon they were swamped by students and parents saying goodbyes or meeting up with friends.

"Rem!" James called over the noise "We're gonna go find Pete. Go get a compartment." He pointed towards the train like Remus hadn't noticed it there.

He nodded anyway and took Sirius's trolley off him. There was an empty compartment in the middle of the train where Remus stowed their trunks and bags. He put one of James' cloaks over Godric to get him to shut up since he hadn't stopped even when Sirius had finished getting them all to Kings Cross.

Figuring that he ought to go tell them where they were sitting he made his way out of the compartment. Only to bump into a red haired girl.

"Oomph," She sighed moving away from him.

"Sorry," He apologised and moved out of the way.

She looked up and stopped "No it's my fault," She said absently. "Sorry, do I know you?"

Remus shook his head "I'm not a student."

"Oh right," she smiled. "Shame that," She noticed that he had been coming out of a compartment "So who are you with then?"

"James Potter and Sirius Black. Actually I was just going to find them," He indicated down the corridor. As James' name was mentioned the smile wavered for a bit into a scowl before returning. "You haven't seen them have you?" Figuring she was on the end of one of James' recent pranks. He was going to have words about that, James should at least wait until school.

"No, sorry but I'll tell them you were looking for them," the whistle sounded "Or not," she cringed "Guess you'd better be going. But it was nice meeting you..." She fished.

"Remus," he answered.

"Remus," she smiled "That's a nice name."

The girl moved down the corridor into a compartment near the end. She poked her head out again and looking at him before shutting the door.

Remus moved down the train looking for anything that might indicate where James was. The answer lay with an argument raging between Sirius and a boy who could pass for Sirius' twin. James was trying to play mediator while a smaller boy was cowering off to the side.

"James," He called. They all looked up "I got a compartment," He pointed back the way they came.

Seeing the excuse James dragged Sirius and the small boy away ignoring the spitting curses flying from Sirius' mouth. He led them to the small door and waited for them all to choose their seats before sitting down himself.

"You could have at least waited until we got there," An argument Remus was going to use on James later.

"You didn't hear him Prongs. He was spouting a whole bunch of lies,"Sirius scowled burrowing into his seat.

"Then you ignore them. If they aren't true then don't do anything. You'll just make things worse," James half yelled.

Sirius didn't reply for the next ten minutes. The compartment was set in uneasy silence until James got up "I have to go to a meeting," He told them "Head Boy stuff an' all," He pointed towards the badge and slowly made his way out. Making eyes at Remus to not let Sirius out of the compartment while he was gone.

Sirius kicked the small boy "So how was your summer?" The blonde barely noticed Sirius talking and continued assessing Remus.

"Who's he?" he asked instead.

Sirius scowled more and kicked again "No one, now how was your summer?" He growled.

Peter told them a tale about his uncles house in Spain and how he got to lounge around watching topless girls most of the summer. All the while Remus couldn't help his gaze slipping back towards Remus.

James was gone for most of the train journey and arrived just as Sirius and Peter finished the last of the sweets. He was scowling and slumped down in his chair much like Sirius had been before.

"What's wrong? Head Boy duties too tough already?" Peter teased.

James curled his lip "No Pete," He spat "It's Lily." Groans sounded from Peter and Sirius.

"You can't have done anything yet. What on earth has she told you off for this time?" Peter queried.

James sat up as the prospect of telling the woes of his love life reanimated him "Well for starters she wasn't too pleased that I was named Head Boy. Said I better not mess up her chance to make a difference in the school," He scoffed "Like I was going to. Then what's worse is that we had to allocate the prefects and she kept day dreaming about some bloke she met over the summer."

"Did you ask who it was?" Remus tried.

"Of course I did but she just snapped that it was none of my buisness and scowled even more at me." He sat back defeated again. A couple of minutes later he sighed and said "I think it's time I gave up on her."

The compartment had grown still. It was like all the breath had been taken out of the room "You're not serious?" Peter gasped.

James ran his hands through his hair "Yes, no. Maybe. With everything that's happened I think it's time I started looking towards my career rather than her. Let's face it after this year I probably wont see her again and even if I did she's never going to treat me differently. Five years of school has proved that much."

The rest of the journey was sat in silence. The three boys changed into their robes before the train stopped and as soon as they were out James ushered Remus to a huge man named Hagrid. "Dumbledore said you should get the full experience," He smirked and pushed him forward with the first years.

Hagrid was nice despite his size. He let Remus sit in the boat with him and told him that he would be eating at the staff table with Hagrid instead of with the other students.

"You're going to be my little helper this year," He told Remus "Dumbledore says that you need things to do during the day an' I've go' a whole bunch o' stuff to be doin'."

"That sounds nice," Remus smiled. It fell rather quickly as the castle came into view. There were no words in the English dictionary to describe the majesty and beauty that was Hogwarts. He settled on "Wow," for Hagrid though.

They dropped the first years off and made their way through a side entrance into a massive hall. Hagrid had a strong hand on Remus' back to guide him towards the staff table so he could take his fill of the floating candles and twinkling night sky without tripping.

He was seated at the end and felt rather out of place compared to the older people at the table. He spotted Dumbledore in the middle but Hagrid had to inform him about the other professors after the sorting.

There was Flitwick who Remus knew James had finished his homework for since he had spent the majority of his post transformation looking over his essay. Then there was Slughorn who was the potions master. Built like a walrus Remus had to agree that there was something uneasy about him. Not to mention Remus could smell the vile concoctions he brewed from his seat. Grubby Plank, Hooch and others were given an introduction and Remus knew he was going to be asking for their names again. It was too much information at once.

The food was too much also. He couldn't decide what to take since it all smelled delicious and was sure he had filled at least five plates away by the time desert came. Chocolate cake, trifle, brownies and more were strewn around him.

"I don't suppose I can take one of those for later?" He asked Hagrid pointing to the brownies.

The giant laughed and filled two napkins full of them for him. When the meal was finished Dumbledore gave a speech about the rules put in place for the year. All of them were said in such a friendly manner though that Remus could tell why James had a tendency to break them.

The students broke off afterwards to go up to their dormitories. The stern witch that had came to their apartment called him over and handed him off to James who had stayed behind.

His spirits had been lifted during the feast and a grin was settled once more on his face. "Had fun?"

"I don't think I can eat anything for a while," Remus complained holding out his brownies for James to take.

The boy started scoffing them while he led Remus through the halls of Hogwarts "You'll be staying with me, naturally but I don't know what you'll be doing through the day."

"I do," He told him about his new position as Hagrids assistant.

"He's a nice guy. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," James confided.

Hogwarts was a maze of stairways and corridors. "Don't suppose you have a map?"

James burst out laughing and was barely able to wheeze out the Gryffindor password. Not seeing what was so funny he just ignored James and followed behind him. The common room was clad in red and gold and full of chatting students that stopped and stared as soon as he walked in.

James didn't seem to notice and made his way up the stairs motioning for Remus to follow him. His bag was seated at the end of his bed. Someone must have notified Peter about why he was there as well since he paled as Remus entered.

James was still giggling to himself as he flung open Sirius' trunk and handed Remus a scrap of parchment. Protests came quickly from Sirius and Peter's mouths but James just continued coughing his amusement.

Taking out his wand he pointed to the parchment and said "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." Markings appeared and interlinked. Soon they were joining places and writing that labelled them as somewhere in the castle. Dots were moving around with tags attached and there in the Gryffindor boys dormitory was Remus' name.

"You said you wanted a map," James grinned.

"Did you make this?" Remus marvelled. To say James preened would be an understatement. The pride and satisfaction oozing from him made him glow.

"All three of us did. It's how we got away with most of our pranks. Pretty good huh?" Now he was just fishing for compliments.

Remus had played this game for a long time though "I dunno James. I suppose it would've been more impressive if you managed to get Hogsmeade and the forbidden forest on as well," James' grin became a pout so Remus reassured his manhood and praised him up again "Still this is an impressive piece of magic."

"Too right!"

James ended up passing around the brownies which Peter declined since Remus took one first. He knew he was going to end up being a kill joy to their fun but they still needed to be well rested so Remus suggested that they go to sleep. Well he suggested the other two to go to sleep and wrestled James into his own.

"This is ridiculous Rem. We're meant to be having late night chats and hanging out not sleeping," He argued even though he was in his pyjamas and climbing into bed.

"You can do it at the weekend. After all you're the one who said they were focusing on their career. I'm just making sure you live up to it," He called setting James' alarm.

He vaguely heard James curse and vowed to set up some kind of swear jar. "Bloody mutt. If I wanted to go to sleep early I would have stayed over in McGonagalls room."

"Mutt!" Remus gasped dramatically turning to his own bed "How dare you, I'm a wolf. We're majestic creatures of the night. Not slobbering mongrels who obey a man's every whim," He turned his nose up as James snorted and descended into another gale of laughter. He heard muffled choking noises sound from Sirius' bed

Despite his complaining James was more than happy to wake up early and well rested when Remus shook him. He took pleasure in the fact that Sirius and Peter had stayed up late into the night and bounced on their beds tortuously and rushing them towards their classes with a cheery grin.

Hagrid turned out to have a lot of duties. "Now I thought that you'd like to walk Max for me this morning. Jus' take him round the castle so he does his buisness and bring him back. After tha' the fun begins," He winked and handed Remus a lead.

Max turned out to be an elderly Mastiff who walked slow and seemed to enjoy the simple things in life. Like chasing butterflies on the fields. Remus had fun walking him around the castle since it gave him a chance to look at it properly. It was completely different in daylight than it had been the night before. But night usually has a way of distorting and covering up what the light doesn't.

After the walk Hagrid had him feeding Grubby Planks unicorns who were strangely happy to have him around. Then he spent the rest of the day on the outskirts of the forest looking for broken tree branches. Ones big enough to sustain Hagrids mammoth fire in the Autumn and Winter months.

It was hard work lugging branches longer than himself over to Hagrids cabin which was why he didn't realise he had a visitor until she was standing in his way.

Abruptly dropping the branch as he saw her he sighed in relief and waited to see what she wanted. "I thought you said you didn't go here," her teasing tone underlying the hurt in her voice.

"I said I wasn't a student," Remus corrected. "I'm supposed to be helping Hagrid," He pointed to the branch and the cabin trying to make his escape now he had his breath back.

She tugged her robe off instead and tossed her red hair onto her back as she pulled up the end of the branch. "Well come on then," She cocked an eyebrow in challenge.

Remus huffed but was glad to have the help over to Hagrids "You don't have to," he tried.

She grunted hoisting the branch up higher "No, but I want to. Besides it gives me a chance to talk to you."

"I doubt we have much to talk about," He called back.

"I disagree," She panted setting it down on top of the other thirteen logs Remus had collected. "For example, how do you know James Potter?"

Remus frowned at her question. He would have thought everyone would know by now. James had said gossip travelled fast in Hogwarts. "I'm James' werewolf," He told her.

She didn't gasp or run away. Just pulled a questioning face "Really? Or are you just making that up to make me go away?"

Remus frowned not knowing why anyone would say they were a werewolf just to get someone to leave them alone. It wasn't some joke and he told her just that. "So you can leave if you like," He walked back along the outskirts searching for another branch.

Funnily enough she trailed behind him "I'm not just going to leave because you're a werewolf."

"Really? Other people do. Besides I'm not just _a_ werewolf I'm James' werewolf. Judging from the tone of voice you use when talking about him you either love him or have a grudge. Maybe both," He pondered.

She stalked in front of him "I am not in love with James Potter," she spat. Calming down she flipped her hair back again and joined him in step "I'm not leaving even if you are affiliated with _him. _You've given me no reason to yet and I like your company."

This time he pulled the questioning face "Really?"

She nodded helping him pull another branch from the clutches of the forest "It's nice to meet a boy I haven't seen go through puberty." She laughed "You should have seen some of them. Sirius had spots all over his nose at one point."

"No?" Remus gasped scandalised. The image would serve him well in his war against Sirius.

"Oh yeah. Then there's Peter. He wasn't always that chubby you know. I've seen him grow breasts bigger than mine in the last seven years," She grinned like complaining about James and his friends was the highlight of her day. "I say it again, it's so nice to see someone who hasn't changed in front of me or, God forbid, seen me at my worst," she trilled taking the front this time. He held it more in the middle this time to take more of the weight of the girls shoulders.

"I'm sure you weren't that bad," Remus told her recalling his own adolescence. Growing bones meant more painful transformations. He had to watch as James was able to grow a moustache in days where as he was stuck with no hair at all. He'd begun to question Mr and Mrs Potter a couple years back about whether he was actually growing like James. They had reassured him that he was, still the lack of changes apart from a growth spurt wasn't promising to him.

"I was," She promised setting the log down. She walked over to him "It's so nice to see a man for once. Instead of those lot who will always be boys to me," She scowled over at the school and turned to him with a kind smile on her face.

"I doubt I'd call me a man," He rubbed the back of his neck walking down to the forest. Most people didn't call him human. To be honest he was wondering when she was going to do the same thing. Maybe the intrigue of a werewolf would go away after the first full moon. When she realised just how disgusting his kind really were.

"I would," She told him. "And I need to go," She declared as the bell rang loudly from the school. "We should get together some time. I really enjoyed spending time with you," She suggested.

"Sure," He agreed not knowing what else to say.

She grinned at him and went to pick up her school robes as she dashed into the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

James was eager to hear about his day with Hagrid. The enormous man a constant source of speculation and fun. James was slightly disappointed, therefore, to learn how Remus was just doing menial tasks all day.

"Well what did you expect?" he asked sorting through the clothes James had thrown to the floor.

"I dunno," James sighed "An importation of dragons or a rogue centaur herd. Something more interesting than hauling logs."

"Well there wasn't." He had moved onto James' trunk now. Somehow it had became messy in the one day "I'd tell you if there was," He promised.

The next day was much like the first, Hagrid had him walk his dog only this time when he came back to the cabin he was to actually chop the wood into fire logs. Hagrid showed him how big they needed to be and how to actually chop the wood before leaving him to tend to his pumpkin patch. Remus wondered why Hagrid was just giving him all the easy jobs, and they were easy. If Remus needed a break he would come over and let him take his dog out again. When the axe had started blistering his fingers Hagrid called him in for tea before sending him up to the school for supper. Two weeks later Remus didn't really want to dwell on it. The way he saw it he could have been the one to feed the grindylows.

"He likes you," James told him "He usually takes Dumbledore's words as law and if Dumbledore said you were alright then Hagrid would believe him."

He was helping James with his transfiguration homework. Sirius and Peter had taken to being out on an evening if Remus was in the vicinity.

"He shouldn't," Remus responded.

"Are you saying you're a meanie Rem? 'Cause as far as I'm concerned you haven't done anything saucy in your life," James joked.

"I know that," Remus conceded "But there's prejudice for a reason. That's wrong," He pointed to the third line.

James hauled his book over and corrected his mistake "You know more about this than I do," he muttered "And that prejudice is misplaced. If wizards spent more time helping rather than segregating werewolves there wouldn't be so many attacks. Nothing like what happened to us..." They lapsed into silence.

Hagrid had him making decorations as October fell. Streamers that were to stretch the corridors and the great hall along with fake bats that flew and slept like real ones.

Remus was hanging some in McGonagall's classroom under her stern gaze "A little higher, Potter stop sniggering," Oh, and James was there.

He was seated at the front with Sirius next to him and Peter on the next desk with the red haired girl he had talked to at the start of term. Sirius had turned a red shade front eh reprimand as James tried to stifle his giggles. They were growing steadily as Sirius' face darkened.

"Would you like some bats as well Professor?" Flitwick and Slughorn had been quite taken with them.

"No, thank you," She waved her wand so the desk he had been standing on went back to its place. "If I wish for bats I think I can make my own."

He nodded and left. Not before something hit his head. He stopped and scooped up the crumpled paper seeing his name written on it. Waiting until he was walking to the greenhouses he discovered a meeting time for him in the library. He didn't recognise the handwriting and figured James had someone else write it in case he got caught. Ever since his promotion to head boy he had been trying to stay out of obvious trouble.

Professor Sprout had her own Halloween decorations thanks to the scary plants she grew. The Defence teacher on the other hand had him put the decorations up and delayed him to his next stop by making a demonstration out of him. He made the class see the difference between a real human and a werewolf, kindly pointing out all the signs in comparison to his other volunteer Sirius' little brother. He had to promise the Runes and Arithmacy Professors he would come early to do theirs the next day since the Divination classroom was all he had time for. Hagrid was all too happy to more his dogs walk so Remus could finish his decoration. In fact he seemed relieved not to have to think of something else for Remus to do.

Five o clock was the time of the meeting and found Remus sitting at a table in the library. He had been expecting James but it wasn't he that walked through the door. The red haired girl walked in his place.

She smiled and sat, removing some books from her bag for show. "I'm glad you came, When you didn't talk to me in the corridors or the common room I figured you weren't interested."

"I thought James had written the note," He confessed. Her face fell "I don't think I'm really meant to make contact with the other students," Hoping she would understand that you just didn't make friends with werewolves.

Her face had at least lost the frown "You are. Don't worry I asked McGonagall before I thought about the meeting here."

This seemed like a lot of work for just a friendly meeting "What exactly is the reason for this meeting?"

"I thought we could get to know each other. That's okay isn't it. Only I think everyone should have a friend," She added quickly.

"I have a friend," Remus defended.

She took his hand like she was explaining something to a small child "James is your master. You said so yourself. Me on the other hand, I have no ties to you and I genuinely want to know you. Not because I was forced to accept you but because you seem nice. Friendly," She smiled. He didn't know what to say to her. She wasn't giving up on him yet though "So, what do you like to do for fun?"

He answered stiffly at first but as the time ticked he found that they had a lot in common. He'd never realised until he was arguing over the best fantasy book the strain James' and his conversations usually had. He loved James and was always eager to hear about his day just as James was about his. They never had anything to really talk about though. James had his interests and Remus his. Both of them would just listen and comment not like she and him. He spent half an hour arguing over the characters in Shakespeare's _Much Ado About Nothing_ and was thoroughly enjoying the different perspective she brought to the play. He had seen it through the eyes of the wizarding world whilst she saw it from the muggle. The education systems before Hogwarts took completely different approaches towards the teaching of certain literature pieces.

"Mr and Mrs Potter were open minded but they didn't have many muggle fictions in their library. I think it was the fear of going to a muggle book shop that had them stumped" he told her. They were walking back up to Gryffindor tower together.

"Are you sure it wasn't pure-blood prejudice?" She sneered.

"They weren't like that," Remus snapped. "They were the greatest parents ever. James was always their top priority even when they didn't have the time for him. They made sure he grew up knowing how privileged he was and tried to integrate him as best as they could. So whatever prejudice you have against James or pure-bloods I'd kindly ask you to keep them out of it." He stormed the rest of the castle alone until he was safe inside the boys dormitory. They weren't up yet which meant Remus could wallow alone.

Shaking all over he changed and sat heavily on his bend. Bringing up Mr and Mrs Potter had angered and upset him but telling her off was what had him shivering. He had no right to say those things to her, to use that tone when speaking to a witch.

The other three came cackling in at ten. James had complained but stuck to the early bed time Remus had installed (mostly because he enjoyed waking the other two up in the morning.) He changed and left Peter and Sirius to cower on the other side of the room.

Climbing over him James settled on Remus' pillow "Alright Rem? You didn't come back with us is all."

He nodded "Fine." James frowned but seemed to realise he wouldn't get anything from Remus that night and went to his own bed.

He woke up anticipation a horde of aurors and teachers swarming his bed. Instead there was James dropping water on Peter while jumping on Sirius. He was on edge as he changed but calmed when he spotted something on his drawers. A little chocolate cupcake was seated on top of his books. A note underneath in elegant handwriting said _"Cheer Up!"_

The staff didn't accost him as he went to breakfast but he still took the end seat despite Hagrid only attending the evening meals. The Owls came soaring in whilst James was in mid argument with Professor McGonagall. James had often got into an argument with her at breakfast since James spent most of his time standing opposite Remus at the staff table and picking at his plate. McGonagall was just getting into the part about House Pride when a tawny owl interrupted her sentence. It landed on McGonagall's plate and James smiled sheepishly as he took the letter addressed to him and scampered over to Remus.

"Everything alright?" James' face had drained of colour as he read the letter.

"Great," He crumpled it "Uncle Oliver's just trying to get my gold again." Mr Potter's brother had been delighted when hew was given the house and quickly turned on his nephew. The rest of James' inheritance was his next goal in life it seemed.

"Ignore him," Remus advised "The ministry said it's yours and Dumbledore's sorted it out. MR Potter's just going to have to accept it."

James cringed "Don't call him that Rem, that's what you used to call..." A swallow muted James' father's title. "Just call him what he is, Uncle Oliver. It's a bigger insult if you do and we're being anything but nice to him now," James glared at the crumpled parchment again.

"You'd better go back to your table," Remus advised. He turned his head to indicate Slughorn's arrival. Head Boy had made James even more desirable in Slughorn's eyes which made any conversation James had with the man one to ignore.

Sure enough James spotted Slughorn and scampered off to sit with Sirius and Peter. The red haired girl was further up from them and Remus was thankful that she was talking to er friends. He'd probably bolt if she looked at him.

The rest of the decorations were up by noon so Remus was spending the rest of the afternoon taking Max for a walk. Hagrid suggested a long stroll as Max's legs could use the stretch. He told Remus not to be back earlier than four.

They had taken the route that led to the forest, lots of trees to wee up and sticks abundant to throw. He had just thrown another one for Max when a black dog yanked it out of the air. He'd never seen the dog before and had assumed that Max was the only dog at Hogwarts, well, he had been. Calling Max back he grew wary when the black dog trotted over too. He was huge and all black, Fur long and silky on its young body. Two grey eyes poked out and watched as Remus took the stick back. There was something familiar about this dog and it took a while for Remus to realise it was the smell. It smelled like Sirius, perhaps the dog was his? Nevertheless the dog was waiting and since Max didn't seem to have a problem with this new dog Remus tentatively threw the stick. Max and the black dog raced to catch it first and even if he was old Max could run fast. He brought it triumphantly back and went to go sniff the bushes.

The dog stayed behind and rolled on its back when Remus stepped away. He made a whine and crawled on his stomach towards Remus. Hesitantly Remus crouched down to meet the dog and held his hand out. The dog darted forwards and put his head under Remus' hand.

"You have to understand," he told the dog scratching its ears "A dog was the one who did this to me. Granted he was bigger, hairier, more grotesque and could stand on his hind legs but still a dog. After all we're one big canine family aren't we," the dog was leaning into the strokes happily and made annoyed little growls when Remus stopped "So where did you come from? Hagrid hasn't bought another dog, at least I think he hasn't. So you're either a stray or someone's beloved pet."

He checked for a collar and figured the dog must have lost it when he ran off. There was no way something as well fed and groomed could be a stray. He stood up and thought about taking the dog to Hagrid when someone called his name.

"Remus!" he turned and there was the red haired girl coming towards him.

"Oh no," He breathed and turned to the dog. "Wait!" He called as it darted into the bushes. She must have spooked him. He thought about going after the dog but if was walking around Hogwarts someone else was bound to find him. Besides the girl had caught up to him now.

"Remus I'm sorry," She flicked her hair back where it had fallen in her sprint "I should have been more sensitive. I mean of course the Potters were nice, I just let my feelings with other wizarding families cloud what I knew. Please forgive me, I'd hate to lose you before we've even had a chance."

Taken aback by her apology Remus nodded. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. It was out of line."

"What? No it wasn't, I was in the wrong and you had every right to say that to me," She insisted. Pulling Remus towards her discarded bag she changed the subject "I have a present for you now that we've made up?" Remus nodded. "Okay so I read this over the summer and I remembered what you said about not reading many muggle fictions so I thought it'd be a good idea for you to read it. I thought it could be a thing between us. We recommend books to each other and meet up to discuss them, a little book club with just us. What do you think?"

"I love it," He really did. Evenings were always fraught with boredom when James was on his rounds "Pince never lets me lend books out so this'll be great," She frowned at the treatment the librarian gave him and he wondered what she had against James. They were almost perfect for each other.

"Here's the book," She handed over while Remus recommended one for her.

He arched his eyebrow at the name _An Interview with a Vampire_ was just the thing you gave to a werewolf. He promised to give it a go anyway and waved at her as the bell went for her last class. Calling Max back over he skimmed the book while looking for any trace of the black dog on the fields.

James noticed his good mood that night and asked about the abrupt change. Remus held the book up "One of the Gryffindor girls leant me it. I know it looks a bit," 'Girly' hung in the air between them "But it's nice I've got something new to read."

James kept his comments to himself and just lazed as Remus read the first three chapters to him. Sirius and Peter entered the dorm which halted Remus' reading. He sniffed the air as Sirius passed making Peter shoot him a disgusted look behind James' back. The dog definitely had Sirius' scent on him.

Peter and Sirius had been to the kitchen on late raid and laid their feast out on the floor for consumption. Remus knew better than to ask for something. James would comply but Peter would refuse to eat anything else that had been stolen.

"Did you finish the decorations? The others ones look great," James told him.

Remus sighed looking up his book. He should have know better than to think James' good behaviour from before would last. He did this every time Remus got a new book. "Yes but Hagrid's preparing me for the pumpkin carving. We have to do that later so they don't go off."

"What!" James appeared at the end of his bed "You get to carve the pumpkins?

"Yes."

"That's so unfair," James whined "Every year I ask if I can do one and they say no. Apparently they have a system that can't be tampered with. Bollocks to that," Remus glared and pointed to the swear jar he had made for James. It was already half full of sickles. James sighed but dropped another one in "Don't see why we have this," He pouted.

"If you want a wife then don't swear. And as for the pumpkins there is a a system, I'm having to learn about it in the next few days. But I guess I could ask Hagrid if you can help gut them," James beamed and hugged him quickly.

He had just turned back to reading his book when James remarked "I can't believe he just has you walking his dog all day. I'd much rather that to potions."

"It's pretty boring sometimes. Except today," He looked over at Sirius as he told James about the dog he saw. "Do you think it belongs to someone in Hogsmeade. That's what Hagrid thinks. Do you know who he belongs to Sirius?"

Sirius looked up sharply "Why would I?"

"Well he kind of smells like you. I thought you'd been feeding it or something. Maybe knew where it came from," A funny look had overcame James before he asked for a private word with Sirius.

Remus managed to finish the girls book the day before his second full moon at Hogwarts. Vowing to give it back when he was well he made his way to the shrieking shack on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. For all of Dumbledore's generosity the shack made him long more than ever for his cellar back home.

He had spent the minutes last month before the full moon crying about the unfairness of his life and this time was no different. The shack had a way of making him yearn for all that he had lost and a life he would never lead. James had tried to make him feel better before he left by telling him he was going to be telling ghost stories to the first years and asked Remus to howl extra loud to scare them. Chuckling at the absurdity of the situation Remus was glad that James was left in his life, he didn't know what he would have done if he hadn't.

He was lying on the bed upstairs waiting for his bones to start shifting when he hear snuffling come from under the bed. Nervous he figured it had to be a rat and ignored until his jaw snapped.

He woke up on the same bed he had last night. It wasn't splintered like he thought it would be which was quite odd. Tired and a little achy he sat up surveying his injuries. Some kind of miracle must have happened, not one long cut or missing limb. Sure there were scratches here and there but that was the height of his injuries. Something licked his leg making him jump.

The black dog from earlier that week grinned toothily up at him. Panic flared as Remus felt over the dog "Please don't be hurt!" he'd hate himself if he had injured a defenceless animal. The dog wagged his tail happily at Remus' petting and woofed a little at him. "How did you find me in here? Is this where you live?" A lick was his answer. The smell of Sirius was fresh on the dogs fur, he would have to ask about the dog again when he went back. Tell Sirius not to leave it in the shack on the full moon.

A bang sounded downstairs as the trapdoor was opened. The dog scurried off and under the bed with a last lick at Remus' thigh. Madame Pomphrey came bustling in now long after.

"Remus," She seemed as startled as he was that he was awake. "Well this is a good surprise."

Later in the hospital wing he told James all about his great transformation and the dog in the shack. He grew worried when Remus speculated the dog being there all night and Remus shared his concerns. He made sure the reassure James that the dog was alright before suggesting that Sirius move it next full moon as the boy in question and Peter came to collect James for Herbology. Sirius was grinning at James and looking rather tired whilst he did so. Story time with the first years must have kept them up late. James gathered his bags while Sirius acknowledged Remus by chucking some chocolate frogs at him. James must have thought it rude though and dragged Sirius by the scruff, shouting and hissing as they walked out of the hospital wing.

Madame Pomphrey let him go after a nap so he stayed the rest of the day at Hagrids helping him move the pumpkins into the great hall for the celebration feast. That evening he spotted the red haired girl and gave her book back organising a meeting whilst he did so. By the time he had sat down to eat he was happier than he had ever been after a full moon.

The next day he met up with the girl again in the library. She turned up enthusiastic and happy to see him. They shared their views for a few hours on the books they had read before moving onto other topics. Again Remus found himself engaging in an animated discussion and was pleased with the challenge she posed with her views.

The topic of the November Hogsmeade trip was brought up as she thought about "Getting my Christmas shopping done now so I won't have to venture out when it gets cold. Besides NEWTs will have me revising at that point."

"Christmas," Remus sighed "I'd forgotten about that."

"Oh God," she covered her mouth "I completely forgot. This is going to be your first Christmas without them isn't it?"

He nodded "James is... well, I don't know what he's going to be like. Things haven't been okay for a while now and Christmas might be too much," He confessed. She was easy to talk to and somehow telling someone about what he was going through was helping him sort out his own head. "We don't even talk about them, every time they're brought up it just becomes too painful. And it's not like the rest of his family is supportive. Mr Potters brother took our home and he's trying to take the rest of James' inheritance. Then there's Mrs Potter's family, they've never like me and James barely tolerated them before. I mean her brother has two kids of his own so he doesn't really want to get involved in case James thinks he can go to him when there's trouble which just shows what kind of man he is. Then there's her sister, she seems to think she can use James to bring back the family's credibility as a pure-blood activist back. He refused obviously to be used like that but it's their fault that we have nothing. It's their fault we had to move in with Sirius over the summer," He sniffed fighting off tears "I just want to go home."

warm arms enveloped him in a hug "I'm sorry." Pulling back she asked "If there's anything I can do don't hesitate to ask." He smiled his thanks. She sat back in her seat while she suggested "How about going to Hogsmeade with me. We can pick out a present for him if you like."

"I don't have any money," She cut off his arguments.

"Ask James. No, I'll do it. Come on we'll ask him now," She pulled him up as she gathered her things together.

They checked the common room when Remus suggested he might be in the dorm. She agreed but refused to stay downstairs as he went up to check and climbed the stairs to the boys dormitory.

Remus trailed behind her as she entered their room "It's actually not that bad," She muttered looking around the room.

James was sitting straighter than Remus had ever seem him. He had his broom in his lap that Remus Remus hastily removed when he saw the white knuckled grip James had on it. "Evans! What the-"

"I'm taking Remus to Hogsmeade at the weekend so he's going to need some money," She told him. James looked to be in shock "Potter!" She snapped.

"Sure," James agreed coming back to life.

Nodding "Good," she turned to him "The carriages leave at eleven and I asked so you are allowed to go. So, I'll see you Saturday," She grinned and cast a small smile at James as she left.

Remus arched an eyebrow at James who was gaping after the girl "James?"

"How do you know Evans?" It was said with a hint of caution like he wasn't going to appreciate Remus' response.

"She's the girl who leant me that book. I've told you about her," he informed.

"You didn't say it was Evans," Clearly he was missing something.

"I didn't know her names and after a while it became weird to ask. Besides I haven't heard you go on about Evans before. It's usually Lily that's the subject of your devotion."

James ran a hand through his hair in frustration "That _was_ Lily! Her name is _Lily Evans_," Lily Evans. So much had finally become clear.

"I didn't know," He whined.

"I know," James sighed. They sat down on James' bed deflated "How's you end up going to Hogsmeade with her?"

"Dunno," Remus shrugged "She just asked when we were in the library. Said she wanted to do some shopping and invited me."

"Don't suppose I could come?" Remus hated to quell the spark of hope in James' voice but the reason he was going fro James himself.

"Sorry. She still doesn't like you all that much," He tried. James nodded acceptingly.

"Thought so. At least she's nicer to me now," Remus through back to how she had addressed him. That had been nice? "She doesn't hex me anymore either. In fact last time we were on rounds she told me I was quite sweet," He pulled a dace and looked at Remus "What exactly have you been talking about with her?"

"I thought you'd given up on Lily," Remus countered.

"Hmm, well keep it up whatever it is you're doing," He clapped Remus on the back and fell backwards with a dazed smile on his lips.

Peter was all for hearing about Lily's trip up to the dorm when James told it to them. Sirius made a joke when James mentioned he was polishing his broomstick as she came in. Then he retired to his bed claiming boredom. It didn't stop him interrupting James through his story.

"You said you'd help," Sirius called motioning to the potions homework in front of him.

"I'm busy Padfoot. If you can't wait get Moony to help you," James choked on the end of his sentence simultaneous to Sirius throwing something off James' head.

They shared a look which Remus ignored hoping that he'd hear more about the nicknames if they thought he wasn't interested. The staring match ended when Peter muttered something quickly and James slapped him to shut him up. A hiss and he was out dragging Peter behind him. Remus waited for Sirius to follow them but three minutes later his books were dropped on Remus' bed along with Sirius not long after them.

"Don't suppose you know the formula for a drought of the living dead?! He did and talked Sirius through it wondering how long he would stay. Already he was picking at the bedding. About halfway through he realised that he should be taking notes to what Remus was saying which seemed to calm him. So much so that when Remus was finished Sirius didn't leave straight away. Instead he sat there mouthing the beginning of words for two minutes before giving up and moving to follow James in the common room.

Hogsmeade weekend saw James giving him advice on what to talk to Lily about. Mostly it was things about James himself and how perfect he would be as her future mate. Lily met him by the carriages shooing James off with a pointed look.

He'd heard all about the small wizarding village and even seen some of it when they had came in September and was quite excited when he spotted the houses and buildings coming up.

"Okay I was thinking that we hit the other shops first before heading to the Three Broomsticks and Honeydukes," Remus didn't really care and agreed with her plan.

They hopped out the carriage to be greeted by the cold November winds. It took Lily several attempts to make her hair behave as they walked past bustling students. The first shop they visited sold robes and other assortments of clothing. Lily was moving between the racks looking for something her parents would like as Remus explored the mens section. James already had lots of robes since he hadn't had a growth spurt since last Easter. Scarves and hats were plentiful in his trunk so Remus saw nothing that would make a spectacular Christmas present in that shop. Lily on the other hand had sorted out her dads present.

The shops after that still held nothing that screamed out at him to buy for James which made him slightly disappointed with the village. He would have thought there would be something James would like. They continued through the village before he saw something that would definitely hold James' present.

"Can we go in there?" He pointed towards a shop that James, Sirius and Peter were strolling out of.

Lily cringed slightly before agreeing. The shop was full of pranks, nose biting tea cups and dungbombs were brands he remembered James showing him on his holiday breaks. Despite that he couldn't get them for a Christmas present. It had to be something special, something that would make Christmas the one time in the year that shouldn't be remembered with misery.

Ten minutes of browsing proved that Zonko's didn't hold the answer, but it had given him an idea. One he relayed to Lily as they were sitting in the Three Broomsticks.

"I think I know what I want to get James," He started. Lily motioned for him to continue as she opened her butterbeer. "Promise you'll help first."

"I promise," Lily solemnly swore.

"I want you to kiss him for Christmas," She almost choked as he spoke. "Hear me out please," He begged stopping the beginning of her shouting. "He's wanted to kiss you for years and I thought that if you did this year it might make him forget about what happened."

"True," Lily agreed glaring "But there's one fault in your plan-"

"I know which is why I thought that if you were put in a position where you couldn't do anything but kiss him you might be more inclined to agree. That way he gets the best Christmas present ever and you don't have to say you did it because you liked him," She seemed considering now.

"What exactly are you thinking about?"

"Mistletoe. Enchanted that you have to kiss the other person or something bad happens," He proposed "Also you promised."

She rolled her eyes before musing on it. "Something like that would require advanced charmwork. It would be good revision... Alright. But he's only getting one kiss and it's only because it's Christmas."

He beamed and gathered his things as they set off for Honeydukes. Not before he tried to give back the money he had borrowed to James. He didn't need it now he had found a present but James only took half back insisting that Remus should 'go nuts' in Honeydukes since he didn't have any sweets back at the dorm.

Back at the castle Remus concluded that Honeydukes was his favourite shop in Hogsmeade. He had indeed gone nuts at the sight of all that chocolate. Not to mention Lily was loving that people were giving them lots of room to browse because they didn't want to get near him. The downside was that Lily had to pay for him since the shopkeeper refused to serve his kind but it was still a great time.

James came back late to the dorm that night having took a secret passage back. As soon as he spotted Remus he pounced and interrogated him about everything Lily had said that day. Naturally he left out he fact that they were shopping for him which meant all James got was all the gossip about the girls in Hogwarts. It was unnerving how much James was interested in the goings on of people's love lives.

November was pressing hard on Remus. NEWT mocks were approaching meaning that he had to help James revise since he didn't have time to do it on his own. Sirius would sometimes join them since Peter wasn't the dorms favourite study partner. Mostly he just sat there and turned a steady shade of red at James' whispered comments.

Hagrid had him preparing for Christmas. While Halloween had him starting the decorations two weeks before hand Christmas was a whole other affair and required two months. There was no such thing as over the top when it came to a Hogwarts Christmas he discovered when he looked at the plans. Remus agreed with everything he saw and was all for putting in his best effort. This year was both his first and James' last Christmas here so he was intent on making it memorable.

Hagrid showed him the trees he was growing and had him shovelling snow as it started to fall. Other than that his duties hadn't changed for the time being. The real work would begin when the faeries migrated over.

Usually on his walks of the grounds he would see the black dog. Sirius refused to comment on the dog when Remus asked and usually sprinted off the as soon as he could. Remus had started to notice a pattern after three weeks and a full moon waking up to the dog. It would appear on Wednesday afternoons between two and half three and again on Friday between twelve and half one. Snuffles was the name Remus christened him with when the dog growled when Remus suggested it and he was very well behaved when he did appear. He would usually walk alongside Remus and always demanded a cuddle. Usually whining and putting his head under Remus' hand if he didn't comply. Remus would be lying if he hadn't started structuring his walks around the dogs visits.

At the tend of the month Lily presented him with two mistletoe twigs. "They're done so use them wisely," She warned walking off afterwards to catch up with her disapproving friends.

"Thank you," he called.

He stashed them on his bed the first night wondering what evil concoction Lily had thought up to keep her and James underneath them. He thought it might present itself if he looked at it a certain way but all it did was make him tired. Eventually they found a home amongst Remus' socks while he looked for wrapping paper.

Hagrid had him helping with the trees in December. He argued that Remus' superior strength would let him drag the trees up the hill to the castle without Hagrids help whilst the Giant set up the ones he had hauled up in the great hall. Lily appeared along with her friends half way through his trials to urge him on as she talked to her friends. He was slightly glad that she turned up to see him, it showed that she was still his friend despite the fact he was going to make her kiss her nemesis in twelve days.

As he was pulling the last tree up he noticed James, Sirius and Peter had joined Lily's entourage and James even helped him pull the last one through the doors. But he thought it was more for Lily's benefit than helping Remus.

"You'll never guess what," James told him when he handed the tree off "Lily's only went and offered to look over apartments over the Christmas for us. She said that she's usually bored at her parents and thought it might be nice if she spent it more productively this year."

Remus was ecstatic "That's great!"

"I know. She'll be giving us her short-list when she comes back," James grinned.

Remus made sure to thank her as he went back to Hagrids cabin to start pulling the rest of the decorations in. A thought came to him when he was carrying the trapped faeries into the castle. Lily was going home? Then how was Remus supposed to give James his present.

He confronted her in the common room after ushering her away from her friends. "You're leaving for Christmas."

"Yeah, my parents want me home for my last year since I'm moving out when I go home. My sister's just got engaged as well so..." she finally realised what had him upset "Oh, right the present. Look, give him it early and I'll do it before I leave. I'm sure it won't spoil Christmas if he has it early Remus," she comforted. Reluctantly he agreed.

That night he waited for James to come up to the dorm. He was late since Peter insisted they take an unscheduled trip to Hogsmeade since he had forgotten to get his parents anything for Christmas. Thankfully James came back sober and laden with sweets that he dumped on Remus' bed.

"Thought you might like these," He handed over three bars of Honeydukes melted chocolate. It wasn't all melted, just the middle and it oozed warm in your mouth as you ate it.

Remus reached into his drawer "I have something for you too. Circumstances have made it so you get your present early this year," He handed the small package over watching James' eyes grow wide.

"Rem, you didn't have to get me anything," He insisted trying to hand it back.

"No, don't worry I didn't spend anything and I think you'll really like it," He urged.

James pulled a face that quickly left as he unwrapped his present. Two twigs of mistletoe dropped into James lap which he pulled to the light "Are you trying to tell me something?" He asked coyly.

"I thought you could use it on Lily. They're special ones that mean the two standing under it have to kiss or something bad happens to them. This way Lily will have to kiss you," Remus grinned.

James looked awestruck at the power Remus had given him and fell off the bed to go plot with Sirius about how best to use it. He quickly came back to give Remus a brief hug muttering "You're the best!"

Remus was woken up the next morning by James jumping on him telling him to get up. Today was the day that James was getting what he wished for since he was fourteen and just discovered girls (he was a late bloomer with Quidditch on his mind a lot). All four of them were sitting in the common room as he bargained with a girl to go and fetch Lily from her dorm.

She emerged with a slight glare at Remus and a roll of her eyes as James held the mistletoe up and explained what she already knew. Quickly James was cut off from his explanation as Lily planted a kiss on him, and what a kiss it was. James looked like he was about to fall over as Lily unwound her arms from his neck and turned back to her dorm.

He was still standing in the same position she had left him in when Sirius went to check he was still breathing. By midday Remus knew Lily had just made James' Christmas. He was practically floating when he went off to his lessons and Remus thanked Merlin that it was the last day since he was sure James would have tried the same trick twice over the Christmas if she was staying.

He left James in the dorm that night replaying and romanticising what he called his 'true loves kiss' and went to go thank Lily for what she did.

"He's so happy it's unreal," He laughed to her.

She blushed slightly as she joined in Remus' merriment. They were standing on the little bridge overlooking the fields of Hogwarts. "It wasn't so bad I guess. I know I was brilliant," She joked.

"Too right judging from the ten minutes it took to revive him," She looked questioningly over at him.

"He likes me that much?"

"I thought you knew that," he told her. "He told me he's been trying to woo you since third year."

She scoffed "Woo is a mild term for what he's done. I always thought he was joking though. I mean at first I thought he was serious but then I thought it was a matter of his pride you know?"

Remus shook his head "He's in love with you," She turned almost as red as her hair. "He tells Sirius all the time about all the imaginary kids you two will have and I'm pretty sure I got a rant about how grand your wedding would be at some point."

She bit her lip "He's never told me that he was serious."

"I would have thought you would guess," Remus turned to face her properly, telling her as sincerely as he could "He wouldn't have done everything he has, stupid or not, if he wasn't mad for you." He peered at the shocked look that had stuck on her face wondering "Are you sure he doesn't have a chance with you?"

"I- That is-," she stuttered and flicked her hair back facing away from him to calm herself.

"You don't have to say yes now. At least think about it over Christmas," Remus suggested. He saw Lily nod and told her he was heading back to the common room.

James woke him up at noon the next day telling him that they were going to the kitchens for something to eat. Remus joined them much to Peter's displeasure who practically stalked in front the whole way there.

The house elves were more than happy to serve Remus which made James laugh about the roles being reversed. It didn't make Remus laugh though as he reminded James that Remus had as much rights as the house elves by law which quickly sobered him up.

After breakfast James dragged him down to the Quidditch pitch for a ride. Sirius was the only other one in the group with a broom so Remus was left with Peter in the stands watching them. He wondered watching Sirius do a loop where the black dog was. It was below freezing these days and even though Remus had seen the dog on his walks he worried about where it was sleeping at night. Peter ignored him when he told him that he was going for a walk and kept his attention on James and Sirius.

The grounds were covered in snow so deep it was hard to walk in. He skirted the edge of the forest calling out to the nameless dog. Checking in with Hagrid the gamekeeper denied having seen it so Remus walked dejected back to the Hogwarts grounds. He didn't want to check the shack just yet. The longer he stayed away from that place the more Remus could pretend it didn't exist.

He called and looked for hours before Sirius found him. The boy was standing on the hill looking out at the grounds before running as he spotted Remus.

"James has been looking everywhere for you!" he shouted. It was the first time he had heard the boy raise his voice to him. "You don't just run off without telling anyone."

"I told Peter," He argued staring Sirius down.

The boy seemed to realise who he was talking to then and stepped back as he conceded that "I didn't know that. Peter didn't tell us anything."

"Of course he wouldn't," Remus stated obviously. Sirius scowled slightly but didn't argue with him.

"Well, James was looking for you," Sirius told him again folding his arms underneath him.

"I'm busy but I'll be back up soon," Remus turned towards the forest again and started looking in the bushes.

"What are you doing?" Sirius hadn't made his way back to the castle like Remus had hoped he would.

"Looking for the black dog," Sirius rolled his eyes smirking slightly so Remus snapped "It's winter and I'm not leaving a defenceless animal cold and homeless!"

"I'm sure it's fi-" He cut off as Remus glared at him and moved off a couple of inches again.

"I'll be back up soon," Remus growled as he prowled the forest. He heard Sirius move off and breathed easier when he was a considerable distance away. Somehow the thing with Lily and now the disappearance of the dog had made his temper short. Or maybe it was just Sirius, something in him just had him wanting to growl at the boy all the time.

He hadn't found the dog two hours later and decided he better see what James wanted. He was in the common room lying spread eagled in front of the fire. Sirius was lounging in a chair resting his feet on James while Peter played chess with him.

"You wanted to see me master," Remus drawled sitting on James' stomach and shoving Sirius' shoes off.

"Oomph, loose some weight Rem. And I didn't actually, just got worried when you up and left. I thought Hagrid had kidnapped you and decided you were to be his new pet. He loves dangerous creatures you see and I think he's taken a shine to you," James joked.

"Well considering the fact that I've been working for him I'd think he had too," Remus quipped "Sirius said you wanted to see me," He tried again "he looked pretty annoyed and worried when he found me and I thought you'd threatened him."

James arched an eyebrow "And if I had?"

"I'd be very flattered. It would also show that you had something important to discuss with me," James rolled his eyes.

"I was going to ask you something," James stalled and fiddled with Remus' jumper. He motioned for James to continue when the pause had become too long "I thought that it might be nice if Sirius moved in with us," James told him slowly.

Sirius looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in the room when Remus glanced at him. "Like we move back in with him or..."

"Or he moves in with us at our new place. I thought we might have more options if we pooled our money together and lots of people are staying with each other after school so I thought it would be a good idea. What do you think?" James was looking hopeful.

"What about Peter," The boy in question scoffed as James informed him that Peter was moving back to his parents house because his mum had taken ill.

"You'd get your own room," James bargained when Remus took a long time answering.

He didn't know what to think of James' suggestion. He didn't much like Sirius but then again James did and he had been kind to them over the summer when they had nowhere to go. It was only natural that James would want to move in with his best friend after school. They were probably already going to do it before the Potters deaths. The only difference was that Remus wouldn't be visiting James at his apartment while living with the Potters for the rest of his life. He'd be living with both James and Sirius like he had at the summer. They'd have to look for places for him to change, go through ministry regulations and even make sure that he was clothed and fed. Remus was basically a complication in an already planned step in James' future.

He couldn't say no "I don't have a problem with it," He muttered and was pulled down on top of James as the boy whooped.

"This is going to be brilliant! It'll be great Rem just wait, we'll do things properly. Get you somewhere to transform and get you a little cupboard of your own full of after moon stuff so you don't get so beat up..." James trailed imagining their new life together.

Remus looked to Sirius. The boy was gazing at Remus sharply. Remus was sure that Sirius knew he wasn't all that okay with the arrangement. He proved it later that night by finding his Gryffindor courage somewhere and slipping through Remus' curtains.

"You don't want me to move in," He declared sitting the furthest away from Remus.

"You don't want _me_ to move in," Remus countered

"What? Of course I do," Sirius insisted a genuine frown on his face.

"You can barely sit next to me. Over the last two years you haven't held a conversation with me until now. You're definitely repulsed by my kind so obviously you don't want me to move in," He laid the facts down for Sirius to think over.

"I'm not repulsed by you, how could you even think that?" Sirius exclaimed.

"Then how else would you explain this," He gestured to the fact Sirius was almost out of Remus' bed with the space he was keeping between them.

"I don't- wait here," Sirius told him and left. Coming back minutes later he waved his wand and moved up to the head of Remus' bed, almost sitting over him to fiddle with Remus' bed hangings. "There," Sirius declared and moved more comfortably next to him.

Remus sat up fully and saw that Sirius had stolen one of James' mistletoe twigs. He barely had time to register this before Sirius descended on him.

Sirius' lips were insistent as they moved Remus' into action. For the second time in as many days he found himself being kissed and again he had no idea what to do. The fact that Sirius was even doing something like this had been pushed to the back of his mind as the rest of it was focusing on copying what Sirius was doing.

A moan came from Sirius as his hands left Remus' face and journeyed to his hips and up his back. Remus angled his head and he found Sirius taking it as initiative to move forward and swipe his tongue along Remus' upper lip. He found himself at a loss and repeated the action back at Sirius. He met Remus' tongue as he straddled Remus' lap and pushed him into his headboard.

The jolt had Sirius pulling back and pressing little kisses to Remus' lips instead, none so as insistent as before.

"Merlin I've wanted to do that since I met you," Sirius groaned peppering kisses on him still. Remus was in slight shock as to what had and was continuing to happen. "So sexy with that glare. James teases me constantly," He confessed moving in for another kiss.

The mention of James snapped Remus out of his daze. He pushed Sirius off him and tore the mistletoe down. Sirius was watching him warily "You- I don't understand," Remus told him.

Understanding dawned so Sirius chanced sitting next to him again "I like you, have for a while actually. I'm not repulsed by you, far from it actually. One conversation or a little growl directed at me has me harder than anything I can think of," Remus would never understand how some people could just declare things like that without blushing.

"But you..."

"Remus," Sirius cupped his face "I like you. I want to be with you, move in with you and Merlin do I wanna kiss you again," He growled. "Please say you'll give me a chance."

Sirius was moving in again when Remus told him "I'm a werewolf."

The boy chuckled "I'm aware."

"I don't think you're allowed to..."

Another chuckle this one closer than the last "I've never been much of a rule follower," And captured Remus' lips in another kiss. He let him since his mind was in such a state that it couldn't function yet. He broke off "What do you say? Wanna give me a go?" The innuendo was clear in that proposition.

"I don't know," He told him truthfully. Sirius' face fell slightly so Remus explained "I've never really thought about anything like that. I- I don't know."

Sirius nodded "James said something like that too. Tell you what, how about you think about it and let me know at the end of the Christmas holidays. Oh this'll be fun," Sirius beamed "I can woo you properly." He left after that statement bouncing onto James' bed with a shout before things went quiet.

His mind was a confusion of Sirius' proposition and enlightenments. He had never thought Sirius would like him and he definitely hadn't thought Sirius thought about him like James thought about Lily. Despite going through puberty himself he hadn't really focused on the mating part that came with it. His body had been changing too much and making the wolf angrier which meant that he had other things on his mind. He'd never even contemplated having someone _like that,_ the option never being open to him. The ministry had made sure his kind couldn't breed by removing all of the females after some of the uses Wizards kept his kind had resulted in one of the females getting pregnant. Then there was the fact that it was considered a taboo. What little thoughts Remus had entertained when he was younger were short and usually left him too scarred to try again.

But now the opportunity was open to him. Now Sirius was presenting him with the opportunity to think about whether he wanted to get involved with him.

The next morning he woke up to a completely different dorm. It wasn't obvious that something was wrong in the room since the boys acted like everything was normal. Even Remus didn't see that something wasn't right until midway through his game of chess with James. Sirius seemed to have changed over night.

Instead of the boy that shied away from Remus' touch he was leaning into it. They were sitting in front of the fire in the common room. James had taken to sprawling as close as he could to the naked flames while Remus sat opposite wiping his bow. Sirius was sat closer to James with his head almost in James' lap. His foot on the other hand was playing with the hem of Remus' trouser leg.

Looking up into the pale boys face Sirius was shooting him a heated look. The changes occurred all throughout the break. Hagrid said that he could take a break with the other kids so he spent most of his time tagging along with James. Peter wasn't too happy and often Remus heard him complain low at night about Remus being with them to the other two. Sirius had taken the added presence of Remus as an opportunity, it seems, to somehow seduce him.

Undressing looks cast from the Gryffindor table, lingering touches as he passed and there was also the fact that he actually talked to Remus now. Asking about things he liked and didn't.

"It's so much better learning this stuff first hand. James was awful when it came to remembering your favourite colour. Although I think he was just doing it to annoy me now," Sirius mused tapping his wand on his leg.

Remus didn't really know how to respond to the sudden change in Sirius' personality. He had went from the boy that feared the sight of him to the one James told him stories about. He found during the second week of their break that he didn't much mind the change all that much. It was nice to have someone else to talk to now that Lily was gone. Sirius seemed interested in his views and although he didn't like many of the things Remus did, if he mentioned something once Sirius brought it up in their next conversation with his own research thrown in.

The effort made Remus see that Sirius was genuine about his proposal. It was just like he said to Lily, no boy puts in that amount of effort if they don't care about it. So Remus found himself slowly responding to Sirius' change.

One day in the dorm he approached Sirius' bed with a magazine full of motorbikes he'd had Lily send him. "I thought you might like it, you seemed interested in the one we saw," Sirius' face had lit up at the cover and he poured over it like it was pure gold.

"Thank you," Remus shrugged and removed himself from Sirius' bed.

The full moon approached near the end of the week. The dread welled up in Remus' body on the Saturday as he recalled the cold shack and the small dog he could have mauled. He still hadn't found the dog despite all the searching he put himself through week after week.

"You're not still looking are you?" Sirius asked catching up to him at the edge of the forest again.

"I need to," Remus told him looking further into the snow covered bushes "The full moon's almost here. If the dog isn't roaming then it's back in the shack. If it's back in the shack then I'm going to have to look. But I won't, not until it's too late. And I'll probably kill the poor thing."

Sirius pulled on his arm as he tried to venture further "Remus come on, it's freezing I doubt the dog will come out even if you're here."

"The moon's tomorrow," He pressed pulling his arm out of Sirius' grasp.

"And you'll make yourself worse if you worry. The dog will be fine," Sirius took hold of him again and Remus reluctantly let himself be dragged back to the castle. He made a questioning noise when they turned away from the path to the common room. Sirius smirked slightly at him "You're all tense. I thought I'd sort that out before we went back to the dorm."

Narrowing his eyes Remus followed a bit slower "Sort me out how?"

"You'll see," Sirius replied cryptically and led him up a flight of stairs until they came to a painting of a mermaid. "Being a prefect means Pete gets all the perks," He winked and said "Mulled wine," To it.

Sirius dragged Remus in the door as it swung inwards leading him into a room with what looked like an empty Olympic swimming pool.

"What are we doing here?" Remus walked around the edge of the pool gazing in. Startling a little as water poured in.

Sirius turned out to be the culprit "It's the prefects bathroom. I thought you might like a nice soak," He offered and turned on more taps with his wand "Maybe a little massage," He murmured in Remus' ear as he walked past.

The flirting had been a new thing as well. Something that Remus was unsure he was comfortable with. The pool was filled in under five minutes and since the taps turned off themselves all there was left was for them to jump in. Sirius wasted no time in stripping himself off and jumping in. Casting a worried look over to Remus who hadn't moved since the water had been filled he swam to the side.

"I think I might go back to the dorm," Remus mumbled pointing towards the door.

"No!" Sirius slid out "Look if you're uncomfortable with me being here then I'll leave and you can enjoy the bath alone. Just please get in, you're freezing," he rubbed Remus' cold jacket.

The door was just within reach but Sirius' sorrowful blue eyes were closer and urging him to get in. Groaning a little Remus turned and slid out of his jacket. He heard a splash and saw Sirius with his back to him and wading in the deep water. It was easier to strip out of the rest of his clothes when Sirius wasn't looking. Even easier to stick his feet in the water.

The bubbles caught in his hair as the warm water played against his muscles. It was like being submerged in warmth. He felt like he was wading through sleep it was so warm and familiar to him. His legs took over his actions automatically and turned him on his back. Drifting on the water he forgot about his troubles with the dog. His confusion with Sirius and loss that plagued every moment of his life. For now there was just the water.

Sirius was true to his word that he didn't want Remus feeling uncomfortable. He kept to his own side of the bath and only came over when he received permission. The interrogation continued lazily when Sirius got a hold of his shoulders. This time he was asking about James' childhood.

"He was so tolerant when I met him. It was surreal to me that there were people in the world like that, who just accepted everyone," Sirius gave.

"Hmm, I guess. I was pretty lucky that the Potters took me. James never acted like I was some kind of burden or slave," Remus replied sinking into Sirius' calloused fingers.

"You shouldn't act like one then," Sirius muttered pressing harshly on his back.

Wincing Remus told him that "It's not like that. You saw the Potters yourself, they opened their home to you as well as me. I couldn't just stay there and feel like a burden so I decided to fulfil what they got me for. It was only right and it made sure that when they had people from the ministry over or guests I was behaving like someone of my standing should."

Sirius scoffed behind him. He turned sharply about to reprimand him but Sirius interrupted "I felt the same. I wasn't arguing about that part. It's just the part about you acting like your standing. Have you actually seen other werewolves?" He shook his head slowly. The Potters didn't really entertain to those who could afford werewolves. The McKinnons when they came around didn't bring theirs and as for the others it was mostly pure-blood supremacists that had bought the rest of his kind. "We had one, like you remember, and I don't think it could even talk. My mother made sure that it knew its place the moment we got it. It was beaten like our house elf and given scraps from the table. We weren't allowed to interact with it in case something happened. In the end it only lasted two years before the moon ended up killing it. Mum said it was a rogue claw to the chest. Though she probably was lying," Sirius contemplated. "The reason I'm saying this is that werewolves are treated like _that_ not like how you are. People that came over probably didn't even realise you were one with how well treated you've been."

"Is that why you seemed shocked when you met me?" He remembered the look on Sirius' face when James had announced that he was 'Remus' and leaving him to clarify to Sirius what being Remus meant.

"No, well a little," He admitted sheepishly "But it was mostly because I didn't expect you to be so," Sirius gestured at him like that was the answer. "James had told me so much about you before we met and I always wondered what you looked like. To think James' Moony turned out to be so much better than the stories," he stroked down the side of Remus' arm.

"Moony?" That nicknames were back and what was worse was it seemed they had one for him.

Sirius straightened up with a gasp "James is gonna kill me."

"Moony!" He just realised the reference "Like the _moon_?"

Sirius made a soothing gesture "Now Remus calm down, you'll get all tense again."

"You coined my illness into a name for me? Like some _dog_?" He was pretty sure Sirius couldn't talk his way out of the nickname. "Wait, that time when James said 'Get Moony to do it,'" Sirius paled. He growled "How long have you been calling me this?"

"Er..."

"Sirius have you ever seen me mad. I may not be able to get my revenge like you or James but rest assured that my version of anger will leave you begging for forgiveness by tomorrow," He threatened. Sirius tried to bolt out of the bath but Remus pulled him back down.

"Alright," He conceded making sure that he was a good distance from Remus when he started speaking. "So a couple of years ago James mentions you in passing. Pete and I were like 'who's Remus' and James told us but when he did some other people overheard and realised James had a werewolf. Your name got out and people started to listen to our conversations when they heard it so we changed your name to Moony and put the word out that it was the name of James' rabbit."

"You made me a rabbit?" He didn't know whether to be amused or horrified. Sticking with amused for now he relaxed slightly as the shock of the nickname set in. "But then why do you and James have odd nicknames?"

Sirius looked panicky again "I can't tell you that. It's kind of a secret project of ours." Remus nodded his head and backed up into the wall of the bath to relax. "It's not like I don't want to tell you Remus. I will as well. Just not right now," Sirius swam slowly towards him with every word.

"Fair enough," Remus shrugged and enjoyed his bath again.

He saved his anger for James until after the moon had passed. He woke up with hardly any scratches once again and therefore only had to stay in the hospital wing for a short nap until the matron said he could go.

James wormed his way into his bed back in the dorm after classes waking him up in the process. "How'd it go. You don't look too bad," He had picked up one of Remus' arms and was examining the light bandages.

"It was the same as last month. Like I just didn't want to kill myself. I thought it might have been the dog that distracted me but it wasn't there this morning. You don't suppose it's dead?" He shot up in panic and James pushed him back down.

"No, it's probably fine." James was scowling at the dormitory door "It probably went to sleep somewhere else in the house."

Nodding he calmed down and relaxed his protesting muscles. Despite not being too hurt it was always a task to turn into a wolf and back in one night. "I just hope Moony doesn't tire of its presence and kill it one moon."

James' eyes widened "Ah," He backed off slightly "You know about the name. It was Sirius' doing," He rushed out "He thought that Moony sounded cool, I personally wanted to call you something better like- like..." Remus felt like laughing at the nervous look that overtook James.

"Wolf-boy, luna, lupin even?" He arched an eyebrow at James' further panic.

"Would saying I'm sorry help?"

"Maybe," James went down on his knees at the side of the bed and then proceeded to beg forgiveness when Sirius and Peter walked in the room. "Alright you're forgive. Now fetch me cake and let me rest," He ordered and watched as James ushered Peter out with him.

Sirius came strolling over as the door closed "I thought you were just bluffing. How bad is your wrath?"

"Ask James," Remus told him turning over onto his side. The sun had decided to glare to brightly on his pillow.

Christmas was almost over, there was one day left in the break when Sirius took him down to the kitchens on the promise of chocolate cake. The house elves fulfilled their every desires and Sirius made sure to get some for James and Peter before they made their way back up the stairs. Stopping on the third floor Sirius pulled him into a tapestry that hid a secret passageway to Gryffindor tower.

"Have you thought about what I asked you then?" Sirius revealed in the dark.

Remus knew he was talking about his declaration "How exactly would our relationship change?" Remus asked instead. He was willing to try being with Sirius after all the effort he put in but didn't quite know what being with Sirius would entail.

Sirius stopped and cast his gaze back "Well, we would kiss, a lot if I have my way. Then there's other things we can do..." He trailed clearing his throat before continuing "We would spend time together with each other because we want to, go on walks or just sit in the dorm together and talk. You know, dating stuff," He shrugged and started walking again.

"Actually I don't know. Not really anyway. My experience of romance comes from novels I've read or from the things I've seen Mr and Mrs Potter do," Sirius snorted at something Remus didn't understand. "My experience is limited in any case."

Something grabbed his hand in the dark. He tried to pull away but his senses told him that it was Sirius and he relaxed "Mine isn't. I'd be more than honoured to introduce you to it if you'll let me."

Remus gripped Sirius hand back "Very well then."

He expected some kind of dramatic kiss to occur in the darkened passage, much like those he had read in novels. Sirius didn't do anything of the sort. He just held Remus' hand and led him through the passage. Pulling away when they reached the portrait of the fat lady and helping him through with all their stolen goods. Nothing romantic happened that night either and some small part of Remus was glad of it. He didn't know what to do in those situations and if Sirius had drew him into one straight away he was ashamed to admit that he probably would have thrown Sirius off him.

The next day saw students unpacking and greeting each other all around the castle. The common room was packed with first years telling about their Christmases and passionate fifth years sneaking kisses in the corners. Remus was walking towards the dorm where James had declared they were holing up until his rounds that night when he was assaulted by a blur of red.

"Remus!"

"Lily!" He grinned clutching the girl to him. She pulled back straightening his jumper as she went.

"Did you get my present?" She had gotten him a new book for Christmas. An old muggle classic of _Dracula. _

"I did and I'm starting to note a pattern. Have you always had a secret vampire kink," She went red and hit him playfully.

"What on earth happened to you! I go home for three weeks and come back to this cheek," He gasped mockingly and pulled her up to the boys dorm so they could talk better. The other patrons in the common room were starting to shoot dirty looks to him.

She ignored James and the others in the room heading straight for Remus' bed and pulling the curtains around it. A flick of her wand and she assured him that the others couldn't hear.

"Any reason for all this secrecy?"

She went impossibly more red "I've come to a decision about James," She told him. Judging from the look on her face James was in for the best year of his life "I wanted to ask you first though. I mean, it wouldn't be right if I started going out with him and-"

"Lily," He interrupted "You're going to make him so happy." She laughed embarrassed and played with her hair.

"I just couldn't help thinking about him over Christmas. Looking back on all the things he's done through the years and I saw what you were saying. He's still a complete prat but in his own way he was showing me how he felt, all those times when I thought he was just being spiteful and..." A misty look overcame her.

Remus couldn't help but laugh delightedly at James' luck "When are you going to ask him?"

This snapped her back down "What?"

"Well he can't," Remus informed her "He's done it for so long I think he's afraid to ask again. This time it has to be you."

She nodded slowly "I guess that makes sense." They sat there for a long time in silence. Remus enjoying the stages of anxiety playing across Lily's face. Eventually she snapped "Oh God how am I gonna do it Remus? I don't know how to ask someone out, is this what James went through every time he asked me? It's terrible if he did."

"Breathe Lily, we'll think of something," For the next half an hour they bartered idea's around until one stuck. Two hours later and a plan had been made so foolproof that James couldn't have done any better. "So I guess I'll see you Friday," He grinned showing her out. James was poking his head over the beds. She squeaked in nerves and fled when she spotted James watching them.

"What did Lily want?" James pounced on the nearest bed, cornering Remus as soon as he could.

"To say hello. We're friends it's allowed." He couldn't wait until Friday.

James pouted knowing that Remus wasn't going to reveal anything interesting to him "Did she at least say anything about the apartments she was going to look at for us?"

She hadn't "I'll ask her on Friday."

That night after James had finally stopped pestering him and went to bed Sirius scurried over and stole his way through Remus' curtains. He climbed under the covers and shoved his freezing feet between Remus' legs on the basis that since they were together it was allowed.

"I have to tell you something," Sirius confessed.

"Alright," Remus gave him his full attention.

Sirius huffed a deep breath "The nicknames you've been hearing James and I call each other, well, Peter has one too. It all started when James told us about you. We were in like second year and McGonagall had just transformed herself into a cat and back telling us that some people go on to become animagi when they're older. When James told us that you could transform into an animal we thought it was cooler than McGonagall since you're a wolf and she's just a cat." Realising he was off topic he shook his head and focused "Anyway we got this idea and it took a lot of time but, I guess it's better to show you..."

Confused Remus watched as Sirius steeled himself and then, well, Remus wasn't looking at Sirius anymore. Instead a black dog had taken his place, one that looked most definitely familiar. Sirius transformed back making a little 'ta-da' motion.

"You're snuffles?"

Sirius pulled a face "Padfoot if you please."

Remus had a hard time wrapping his head around the fact Sirius could transform himself into a dog. Not just any dog either but the one that had been stalking him for months. The one that... "Please tell me that wasn't you."

Sirius knew what he was talking about since he cringed "If it's any consolation I did a lot of research before I went in with you."

"You could have gotten yourself killed!" He bellowed shoving Sirius half out the bed "I could have killed you! What's worse is that all I would have thought was that I killed a dog, how could you?"

"James found the idea in one of the books we read about werewolves. We thought that the wolf might not attack animals since it only craves human flesh. I thought it would have been great, something useful to use my animagus on. I wanted to help," He stopped edging closer and gestured to Remus' arms "It worked too. James told me off the first time I did it but I had to know and I was right. I can help you Remus. We all can. You don't have to hurt yourself anymore," Sirius grasped his shoulders and looked to be urging Remus to see the good intentions Sirius had planned.

He didn't have to look at Sirius to know that though. Remus could see what Sirius had done for him was amazing yet still "I could have killed you."

"You didn't," Sirius confirmed holding him tighter.

Remus looked to move the topic on "So what's James and Peter's animagi?"

Smirking Sirius pointed to the closed curtains over to Peter's bed "Wormtail's a rat and Prongs is a stag. It was so funny when we first fully transformed, James was falling everywhere and it only got worse when his antlers grew in." Remus chuckled a little with him. Sirius turned and spoke to him seriously "I'm glad you know. I didn't want to keep it a secret from you."

"I'm glad you told me," Remus replied "Especially since this means I won't have to look in the snow for hours." Sirius made a guilty face.

They talked into the night about the boy's antics as animals. Sirius asked him about some of his own transformations but Remus could never remember anything so he couldn't compare them to the wonders of Sirius' own.

Classes started again meaning that Remus' little holiday was over. Hagrid had sorted it with the Care of Magical Creatures Professor that Remus would help out with her classes every now and then so Hagrid had to give him little classes about the creatures themselves. He still had to walk Max every day and enjoyed the stretch it gave his legs. Sirius still turned up as Padfoot on Wednesday and played with Max for a while before asking for a thorough cuddle. Remus was almost tempted to deny him one but Sirius was too cute as a dog to say no to.

"Now then nifflers like anything shiny," Hagrid went on showing Remus a little mole like creature. He proceeded to bury the galleon he had procured and told Remus to let the little guy go. After the first couple of go's he let Remus do it on his own. Today he was training the new batch of nifflers for the class next Monday. Some of them didn't like the idea of giving their gold up which meant that Remus had to train it out of them with bribes before they relented.

When he went up to the dorm that night he was covered in mud and scratches from the unruly nifflers. James laughed whole heartedly at his tale as he applied a salve to Remus' cuts.

"It's not funny. They have sharp claws," Remus argued picking clumps of mud out his hair.

"And cute fuzzy faces," James laughed dabbing at a cut on Remus' neck. Sirius walked in then with Peter in tow. James was more than happy to relay Remus' story to them.

Sirius shoved James off the bed and took over cleaning Remus up "Thank you," He told Sirius pointedly when he refrained from laughing.

"Oh please," James groaned from the floor "The only reason he isn't laughing is because he's jealous you spent the day with another furry creature. If he was in the story somehow he'd find it hilarious."

"Or maybe he just doesn't find it funny because he doesn't have the sense of humour as a two year old," Remus shot back "Now if you'll excuse me I need a shower," He made sure to kick James on his way out thinking happily about what James' face would be like on Friday. No doubt he would be the teasing one then.

Friday came with Lily cornering him on her free period "I don't think I can do this. What if he says no?"

Remus stopped cleaning out the snow from in front of Hagrids, there had been a storm overnight. "He's going to say yes. He's been waiting for this day for years, there's literally nothing else he could say."

"But-"

"Don't worry, everything's going to be fine," He reassured her and told her to get back to the castle to prepare.

That evening Remus played his part and dragged James onto the Quidditch pitch. Sirius had grabbed his broom at the first mention of his favourite sport and helped him engage James in a two on two game.

He was a bundle of nerves as they passed the stolen Quaffle around to each other. Peter had been reluctantly delegated to his team and kept glaring stares of utmost loathing each time he let James get the quaffle.

As Sirius made his fifth goal of the night he flew over and pulled the cheering boy aside "You need to let James score," Sirius stopped mid cheer arching his eyebrow "Just let him, please. I'll let you kiss me," He offered and had Sirius zooming off before he'd finished speaking.

Under a minute later James had scored through the goal posts whilst Sirius fended Peter off. A swear shouted from Peter later and they were all looking up at the red writing that had appeared above the posts. _Fancy a date Potter?_ And there standing in the wings was Lily waving up at the gob-smacked boy.

James turned to Remus "What is this?"

Grinning Remus pointed to Lily "Exactly what it says it is."

James was gone as soon as he blinked and down to Lily who was telling him that 'yes she meant him.'

Remus dragged Sirius from the pitch with Peter lagging behind when James had went to sit next to Lily for the rest of the evening. The other two looked to be in as much shock as James was and kept muttering their disbelief at each other.

It was only when James came striding through and confirmed that he had finally got Lily to say yes when the reality set in.

"Nice one James," Sirius clapped him on the back.

"Seven years of pining finally paid off," Peter chimed.

James looked so happy he could probably fly without a broom "I can't believe it. How long has she felt this way?" He directed at Remus.

Shrugging he said "Before Christmas. Maybe earlier, all I had to do was tell her how sincere you were and she was ready to give you a chance."

He was pulled into a hug "I should have brought you here years ago," James mumbled into his shoulder.

"Either way, you finally got your girl," James stepped back running his hand through his hair and declaring that they needed food. Tonight was to be a celebration.

Food was pilfered and they stayed up late listening to James regale them with his plans for their date. Sirius and Peter would reminisce in the back of James' romantic speeches about all the times Lily slapped or hexed him for something he had done. Remus listened to it all with a smile on his face. James was finally moving on with his life, all because of Lily. He couldn't have been more proud of James if he tried.

Eventually they all tired out and retreated with good words to bed. Saturday came with James leaving early to try and talk to Lily at breakfast with Peter going with him to make sure he didn't destroy what chance he had managed to obtain.

Remus was woken up to light kisses on his neck that ran up and down alternately. Moving onto his back he dragged his eyes open to see Sirius burrowing his head in the side of his neck.

"You promised," Sirius muttered as he chanced one on Remus' jaw.

The sleepy state he was still in had somehow relaxed any worries he had about Sirius kissing him. Turning his head he laid one of his own on Sirius' forehead. Taking it as permission Sirius swooped down and swept Remus up into a chaste kiss.

Lips moving gently over one another he lifted his arms to twine around Sirius' neck, pulling him more insistently into the kiss. Groaning Sirius moved himself over Remus, planting his hand next to Remus' head for leverage as he led him through the motions.

Sirius changed the intensity of their union and lightly pulled off. Panting he turned slightly away "We should go down for breakfast."

"Why?" Remus tried to pull Sirius back down. He had been enjoying himself.

Sirius scoffed and pressed a quick kiss to him as he moved off "I'm hungry," Was his explanation. As he moved away Remus could see it wasn't hunger that had made Sirius move, at least not for food.

As they were walking downstairs Remus ignored the looks cast in his direction and wondered if he could make Sirius turn as red as his shirt.

"You know, the merit of being a boy means that when your boyfriend gets aroused you don't have to pull off with a flimsy excuse," Sirius had stopped walking and was spluttering behind him. "Aren't you _coming_. I thought you were hungry," He growled.

He walked ahead and had the pleasure of Sirius stalking past him with a hissed "You're a mean little wolf," in his ear. He had to admit it was fun teasing Sirius.

James was sitting away from Lily when he walked past. Sirius joined them and laughed at whatever excuse James had given for not sitting next to her. Remus made himself stop and wait for an opening between her friends talking.

"Lily," she looked up "James was wondering if you found anything good for us apartment wise over Christmas."

She gasped "I completely forgot." She gathered her things "I have but all my stuff's upstairs. I'll go get it and meet you two in the courtyard," She called from the end of the hall. Relaying Lily's message he went to join the teachers at the staff table.

The apartments she had found were scattered around the country. James liked the looks of the London based ones on the argument that it would be closer to the ministry. Sirius hated those since they were closer to his family. Remus didn't care much about location and scanned the documents for their rooms and prices. Lily was helpful and pointed out all of those she thought were nice, having visited them over the Christmas she knew what was good.

"This one has two bedrooms and looks liveable. Come on James we're wizards if we need to go somewhere we can use floo or apparate," Sirius argued pointing to one in Liverpool.

"Two bedrooms?" Lily asked pulling the picture towards her "Where's Remus going to sleep, the floor?" James smirked as Sirius turned red and looked quickly at Remus. "Am I missing something?"

"No," Remus reassured her and pulled a better apartment towards them "This one looks nice," He pointed out its features "And the cost is ideal."

The other two were making faces at it "It's a bit..."

"Shabby," James finished.

Sighing Remus informed them "We need somewhere to live. We can always move if we find somewhere nicer but for now we need somewhere affordable until you two can find stable jobs," He argued shutting the pair up about the décor of the apartments and moving onto location again.

Lily seemed to be the only one with any realistic living choices "I think I might ask Mary to move in with me. Rent will definitely be cheaper if I do," she mused looking at one James discarded.

At the end of the day they all had different apartments they thought were ideal. The belief was that the other would slowly come around to their way of thinking by the end of the year and if not then Lily's parents were sending more apartments prospects around later in the year for them to consider.

"I don't see what James is all that fussed about. Really all he needs is a place until Lily decides to move in with him," Sirius ranted lying in Remus' bed.

"They haven't even went on one date and you're already moving them in together," Remus poked him to move aside.

"Well why not. Then it'll just be me and you," Sirius joked pulling Remus close to him.

Frowning he informed Sirius that "You know it doesn't work like that," Sirius furrowed his brow "If James and Lily move in together then I have to go with them. I'm his werewolf remember?" From the look of Sirius' face he had forgotten all about Remus' life.

"But..." Sirius groped for words next to him and turned away when he couldn't find any.

The thought of apartments left them all as James and Lily's first date loomed. Sirius sprouted advice that was sure to get James slapped while Remus tried teaching James things that Lily was interested in. When he left James was shaking so badly that it took him three tries to get his arm through his robes.

By their third date James was less shaky as he went out to meet Lily down by the lake. Their fourth and James was shaky as he came back as he announced that Lily had just kissed him. As March made way into April Remus was periodically woken up by bedsprings and soft moans courtesy of a failed silencing charm.

"You would have thought he'd have perfected it by now," Sirius mused walking with him next to the forest "Merlin knows he's had years to practice." Remus was taking Max on his daily walk and Sirius had taken to walking with him as a human this time.

"Nevertheless he should at least wait until we're out of the dorm," Remus commented throwing another stick for the elderly dog. "I can smell never mind hear what they're doing."

Sirius poked Remus' wrinkled nose playfully. The last couple of months had seen him relaxing more around Sirius. They weren't at the same place as James and Lily were but he was confident that he definitely had some romantic feelings for Sirius now.

Sirius pulled a thoughtful face "Can you always smell what people have been doing?"

"Sure," Remus agreed "It's one of the perks of being a werewolf. Heightened senses an' all," He tapped his nose much like Sirius had done.

"So," Sirius scuffed his foot "You can tell when someone's been... you know," He made a motion with his hand. Blushing Remus nodded which led Sirius to join him in his new shade of red. "Well that is certainly something I could have known before hand."

"Yeah," Remus agreed. "Cleaning spells don't really get rid of the smell either just so you know. Your best bet is to take a long shower with a bottle of smelly soap."

"Good to know," Sirius nodded and walked next to him again.

N.E.W.T.s came quickly and diverted the love birds attention to studying rather than frotting, much to Remus' relief. Sirius would spend hours with James pouring over books and looking up spells to try in the dorm for their exams. Remus helped as best he could and even offered to teach Peter some of the material. He was rebuffed naturally and ignored the comment Peter muttered to himself about how a "Half breed thinks he knows better than an actual wizard."

It seemed like the stress was going to be their undoing until it wasn't N.E.W.T.s was over in a matter of weeks and left the students in a zombie like state. Tired, starving and dishevelled they wandered the halls of Hogwarts trying to get energy so they could enjoy their last days. The same couldn't be said for James and Sirius. Peter spent his first two days much like the rest of the seventh year population while James and Sirius sprung back to life in a matter of hours.

"I can spend all my hours with you now," Sirius commented trailing his lips along Remus' jaw.

"Or you could spend it looking for an apartment. We still haven't got one," He mentioned loud enough for James to hear from his bed.

Sirius sat up looking thoughtful "I think I'd rather look at you than an apartment though."

"Well tough," Remus grabbed the short-list they had created. "Pick one you like and make your case tomorrow," he shooed Sirius out of his bed and joined James on his.

"I think I might ask Lily to move in with us," James commented. It wasn't something new they had talked about and James knew that Remus was alright with any arrangement so long as he had a roof over his head.

"Then ask her."

"Hmm, maybe I'll do it tomorrow," James put off staring off into space.

"Or ask her now. Better yet why don't I do it," He got up and was abruptly stopped by James running in front of him. Gesturing to the door Remus made a 'do it now' face and watched James leave.

Something was held in front of his face "This one," Arms came around his middle "Now can we get back to making puppies."

Scoffing Remus relented leading Sirius to his own bed "You realise neither of us can have puppies."

"True," Sirius mused and leant into Remus' attention on his neck "But we can at least try."

Biting gently Remus worked his way down to Sirius' collarbone and moved the shirt away from the pale flesh it revealed. Sirius grasped the edge of Remus' shirt and pulled it over his head. The first time he had done so had left Remus flinching at the embarrassment his scars caused him. Twenty times later and he was no longer phased by such an inconvenient emotion.

Yanking Sirius' off as well Remus straddled Sirius' hips and bit his way down Sirius' chest. Stopping at the waistband of his trousers Remus licked a stripe back up to his nipple. Circling his tongue and biting pulling gently until Sirius was bucking up into him. Smirking he wormed his way down Sirius' chest again making sure to brush his cock on every slide his body made.

"You're not fair," Sirius pouted, panting into his pillow.

"You don't want me to be," Remus commented sucking a bruise into his hip.

He dragged Sirius' trousers down a bit further exposing more of the little trail of hair that led downwards. He rubbed Sirius' thighs as he sucked kisses along his stomach. Trailing his hands higher he chanced something he'd never done before and mouthed at Sirius' erection through the cloth. Moving back when Sirius bucked abruptly he was pulled back onto Sirius' lap as the boy went for Remus' cock. Palming it through his pants Remus panted into Sirius' neck.

He couldn't help but ask "Did you just-"

"Leave it," Sirius bit out stroking harder through the fabric.

Remus twined his arms along Sirius' shoulders for leverage as he moved with his hand. Burrowing his neck in Sirius' he groaned his way towards his completion.

Until he wasn't. On his back his limbs felt stiff and painful from where he landed. Ears ringing it took a while to listen to the arguing voices.

"He was biting you!" One called.

"And I was enjoying it!" Another shot back. Remus remembered that this voice belonged to Sirius.

"You could be infected," Blurry images appeared at the edges of his vision as someone paced.

"It doesn't work like that and you know it. I can't believe you just did that Peter," He heard a growl and Sirius appeared in his line of vision. His limbs didn't seem as stiff when Sirius was near. In fact he could move his fingers if he tried. "Just wait until James gets back."

"Oh I will. Then he'll know what you've been doing with his werewolf," Sirius scoffed. Turning his head Remus could make out Peter with his wand drawn and sending a hateful look in his direction "I don't even know why you were doing that with him Sirius. It's bestiality's what it is."

Faster than Remus could keep up Sirius had his wand to Peter's throat "Take it back. Take it back now Pete!"

"I'm not taking back something that's right," Peter all but spat back.

Remus didn't want Sirius doing anything he was going to regret later so he made a bigger deal out of his injury than it was "Sirius," He moaned "I think I've bruised something. Could you help me up?"

The wand halted and wavered for a second before Remus was being helped to his feet. "Let's get you cleaned up," Sirius led him to the bathroom, shooting looks behind him that no doubt warned Peter not to follow. "Bastard," Sirius muttered taking Remus' face in his hands and examining him for injuries. "Tell me where it hurts."

"My back mostly," Remus told him moving out from Sirius' arms to start a shower "I did just fall on it." Sighing when the water was hot enough he turned back to Sirius "Don't hex him or curse him Sirius. He's entitled to his own opinion, one shared by the vast majority of the population actually."

Sirius huffed and stripped his trousers off starting his own shower "He shouldn't have said it."

"Everyone would say it if they knew," He stepped into the warming water feeling the sweat from their previous activity wash away.

"He still shouldn't have said it," He heard Sirius mutter.

"Just ignore him," Remus advised.

Sirius butted into Remus' shower. His hair dripping and eyes blazing "I can't Remus. He's my friend I'm going to see him all the time. I don't know why he would think that way when he knows just like I do that you're human. He was there same as me when James told us about you, he's been there all along and still he thinks of you as nothing but an animal. But I know that people can't control how they think and I'm not angry about that. I'm angry that he had the nerve to call what we have bestiality to my face. He may not like you but he's still my friend and friends don't say things like that to each other."

"Don't lose his friendship over me," He made Sirius promise. It seemed like such a trivial thing to him but if being with Sirius had taught him anything it was that Sirius was devoted to everything he thought deserved his time. Peter was one of those and to lose his friendship because he believed what everyone else did seemed ridiculous. So he made Sirius promise.

James came back that night after three failed attempts to sneak into the girls dormitory. It seemed they had introduced new traps now the girls had discovered and reported James' broom being left in their staircase.

"Damn Minnie," He cursed waving his fist to the sky "It's the last few weeks I'll get to spend with my darling and she's making it more difficult than it has to be." He flopped on Remus' bed pulling on his leg to climb more securely on it "Hey Rem."

"Hey." He wondered how James had completely missed the cold war in the room. Sirius and Peter were on opposite ends of the room meticulously packing the beginnings of their things with fever. "So how did Lily respond to you asking her to move in with us?"

James perked up "Brilliantly. She was so happy not to have to move in with her parents or Mary and said that this could be the best thing that ever happened to us. I mean living together really proves if you can stand the test of time. If we do..." The dreamy look was back transporting James to a land with Lily and thirteen small messy haired red heads.

"So where exactly are we going to move?" Remus approached the topic again hoping James would be more enthusiastic.

"I like the one in Northumberland," James proposed. Remus had a sneaking suspicion that Lily liked that flat too.

"And why's that?"

"Well," James pieced his argument together "It's near enough the lakes for you to romp on, now we know Padfoot can keep you happy. Then there's the cheap living expenses and the fact that it's away from Sirius' family. All in all it seems like the ideal place."

Remus turned to Sirius "What do you think?"

His black hair bounced as he looked up from his trunk and asked Remus to repeat the question "Oh, er yeah. Sounds good."

"Great!" James grinned "I'll owl them our deposit tomorrow." How on earth could James ignore them. They were practically ripping each other apart with their eyes.

"I take it Remus will be sleeping on the settee," Peter said to James though his eyes never left Sirius.

"No, he's getting his own bed. I did promise him after all," James playfully ruffled Remus' hair. It was only when Remus didn't bat him off that he turned and looked into the rest of the room. "Alright what's going on?"

Peter took his wand out, Remus noted, as he approached the middle of the room "Are you aware that Sirius has been shagging your werewolf?"

James swung his legs and pursed his lips "Yes. Why?"

Peter scowled "You're actually condoning what they're doing?"

"I don't understand," James turned to Sirius to see if he would be any more helpful.

Drawing his own wand Sirius took his approach to James over the beds until he was cuddled close to Remus "Peter caught us earlier," Sirius started.

James didn't need to hear more and cringed good naturedly "Urgh, I can see why you'd be upset then Pete. Sirius' arse is nothing pleasant to look at." The expected quip James was expecting never came and he was left with his laughter falling flat in the room.

"Actually my arse never came into the conversation. It seems that Pete has more of an issue that I'm committing... how did you put it Pete, ah yes, bestiality with Remus," Sirius let it hang in the room, edging Remus behind him unnoticeable to the other two.

"What? Why would Peter say that?" James turned to the boy as if he couldn't believe he would say such a thing. Remus thought he was expecting too much, but then maybe James hadn't been witness to half the vile looks Remus had been given all year.

"Because he's a werewolf," Peter declared like that was the answer to everything.

"Remus get out," James ordered. Obeying instantly he scampered out of the dorm and into the common room.

There were no shouts to be heard meaning that they must have cast a silencing charm. The effort James was making seemed useless to Remus. He appreciated it sure but like Sirius it was pointless to try and enforce their beliefs onto someone who didn't want to hear it.

It was hours before someone came down from the dorm and even then it wasn't who he was hoping to see. Sirius had a split lip and a bruise forming on his jaw as he collapsed into the chair next to him.

Fingering the bruise lightly he asked "What's James like?"

"Better than me," Sirius huffed leaning into Remus' fingers until he was carding his hands through Sirius' dark hair. "I think we'll be down here for the night."

"I hope you haven't done something you'll regret. Both of you," He pulled the locks out of Sirius' eyes.

Blue eyes bored into his "Believe me, I'll never regret it," He knew Sirius wasn't just talking about the fight upstairs now.

"Neither will I."

**AN: Thank you to all that commented on this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N; For all of you still interested in this story iam reuploading it with some changes. I know some may like the original which is why I'm keeping this one on here too. Truthfully, i couldn't move on with this story while there were so many mistakes, of which I've hopefully solved in the rewrite. Sorry for the inconvenience, and hope you like it if you do check it out.**


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